A spokesman for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department said a 26-year-old Bangladeshi identified as Ahmed Faishal, and Kane Yaya, a 41-year-old man from Mali were arrested on suspicion of violating immigration laws.

"We arrested two foreign national men today on suspicion of violation of the immigration law," the spokesman said.

"Both men overstayed in Japan without proper immigration documents."

Two other Bangladeshis and an Indian were also arrested, suspected of having had frequent contact with Lionel Dumont, 33, a Frenchman linked by the United States to al-Qaeda, Jiji Press and Kyodo News agencies said.

Dumont belonged to al-Qaeda's logistics arm and police suspect he was engaged in raising funds, money laundering and forming a terrorist network while hiding here between July 2002 and September 2003, according to earlier reports.

The arrest of several foreign nationals during raids at more than 10 locations, was aimed at "getting to the bottom of Dumont's fundraising activities in Japan," Jiji Press said, quoting police.

Jiji said another 33-year-old Bangladesh man had received several calls from Dumont.

Police and security agencies have refused to comment on Dumont's reported stay in Japan, although it has been tacitly acknowledged in comments by politicians including Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

Dumont had been wanted by Interpol in connection with various incidents including an attempted bomb attack against the Group of Seven summit in Lyon, France, in June 1996. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by a French court in 2001 in his absence.

(AFP/REUTERS)