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| Southeast Asia |
| Thai police suspect Islamists in train bombing |
| 2002-07-09 |
| Police suspect an Islamic group was involved in the bombing of a train in southern Thailand, suggesting for the first time a link between Muslim Oh, wotta surprise! That's never happened before... The small bomb, left in a box on the train, exploded Monday when the train was at Yala station. Two security guards who were inspecting the suspicious package were wounded when it blew up. Muslims are a majority in the south of Thailand, but make up just 4 percent of the country's 62 million people, who are predominantly Buddhists. They want their own autonomous territory because they can't get along with anyone else... Police chief Gen. Sant Sarutanond said his forces had expected ``some retaliation'' following the arrests on Sunday of an Islamic leader, Adoon Hayeed Halor, who belonged to a former separatist group, the Pattani United Liberation Organization. That's because Islamists always retaliate whenever they can't have their way... Adoon's comrades have banded together as the Islam Pattani Mujahedeen - a little-known group that has not conducted any overt separatist campaign, or claimed responsibility for any of the recent violence in Thailand's Muslim-dominated south. Sant's comments are the government's first hint that Islamic militants may be involved in the violence, including drive-by shootings that have left 10 policemen and two civilians dead. Until now, authorities have blamed the attacks on bandits and mercenaries hired by gangsters to settle business disputes. We've noticed over the past nine months that the difference between Heroic Mujaheddin and banditti often boils down to how much money they have in their pockets — if that... Sant said the police are keeping an eye on the Islam Pattani Mujahedeen members. Much of the recent violence has occurred in the Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces, about 670 miles south of Bangkok along the border with Malaysia, which has a Muslim majority. The Pattani United Liberation Organization has been defunct since it was disbanded following a general amnesty in 1984. At its peak in the 1970s and 1980s, it commanded more than 20,000 armed guerrillas in its fight for a separate Muslim homeland. Some rebels still loyal to the movement are believed to have turned to banditry, operating extortion rackets, harassing businessmen and launching sporadic attacks against police. They're at home in such pursuits... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |