| Submit your comments on this article |
| Southeast Asia |
| Security experts say southern insurgents behind Thai bombings |
| 2016-08-21 |
| [Khaosod] A number of security analysts said the evidence now shows beyond a reasonable doubt that militants fighting for independence in the far South were behind the bombings in southern Thailand last week. While officials continue to insist that the ethnic-religious conflict had nothing to do with the series of bomb attacks which hit on the Queen's birthday, these scholars point to methods and motives they say leaves the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), the most likely perpetrators. Researcher Rungrawee Chalermsripinyorat said, "It's likely the southern insurgents. But of course they do not call themselves insurgents. They call themselves juwae, which is a Malay word that means fighters." Speaking at the same panel, security analyst Anthony Davis suggested that other possible candidates, such as the Redshirts or a military faction can be ruled out, because the former could not plan such a large-scale attack under intense surveillance, and the timing of the attack – just after the junta's charter draft was endorsed by a landslide – ruled out the latter. Davis, who works for IHS Jane's, said, "In my opinion, it's just common sense. It doesn't require expertise at all. All I did was simply to connect the dots." Srisompob Jitpiromsri, director of Deep South Watch, said he is also convinced far South insurgents are to blame. He said, "It's clear quite clear. The evidence point that way." The three experts went as far as naming the group most likely responsible: the BRN, which is often described as the most active and well-armed southern separatist cell. The military in charge of the official investigation seems to disagree. On Thursday it announced the arrest of 15 Redshirt supporters, mostly in their 60s and 70s, and accused them of having ties with the bombers. The army backtracked on this claim a day later. |
| Posted by:ryuge |