THAILAND: THREE THAI MEN ACCUSED OF PLOTTING TERRORIST ATTACKS ON TOURISTS ARRIVE AT A BANGKOK AIRFIELD TO FACE INTERROGATION BY POLICE IN THE CITY

Record ID: 352064

  • Title: THAILAND: THREE THAI MEN ACCUSED OF PLOTTING TERRORIST ATTACKS ON TOURISTS ARRIVE AT A BANGKOK AIRFIELD TO FACE INTERROGATION BY POLICE IN THE CITY
  • Date: 11th June 2003
  • Summary: (W5) BANGKOK, THAILAND (JUNE 11, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS: PLANE LANDING AT MILITARY AIRPORT IN BANGKOK WITH VARIOUS POLICE PERSONNEL LOOKING ON (4 SHOTS) 0.16 2. MLV: HANDCUFFED SUSPECTS LED BY THAI POLICE OUT OF PLANE 0.28 3. MEDIA 0.31 4. TRACK/MLV: THIRD SUSPECT LED INTO POLICE VEHICLE 0.39 5. SCU: (SOUNDB
  • Embargoed: 26th June 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
  • Country: Thailand
  • Reuters ID: LVAC24P1KYO2C4DOND757LGBLQ4C
  • Story Text: Three nationals from Thailand, arrested on suspicion of
    planning to bomb embassies and beach resorts in the country,
    have been brought to a military airport in Bangkok and then
    rushed to police headquarters to face interrogation.



    Amongst tight security on Wednesday (June 11), the
    three suspects were rushed through the heavy Bangkok rush-hour
    traffic to face questioning by officials from the Crime
    Suppression Unit.

    Commando police escorted the suspects through a throng of
    journalists before being led into the interrogation room. They
    were not allowed to answer questions.

    Four members of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) cell have been
    arrested in total -- a 42-year-old Singaporean and the three
    Thai Muslims -- based on information supplied by Singapore,
    Thai police have said. More suspects are being hunted.

    Thai officials confirmed that the three still in Thai
    custody had been contacted to JI.

    Sihasak Phuanketkeow, a prominent official in the Thai
    Foreign Ministry said, "It was confirmed that the 3 suspects
    were planning to engage in some kind of terrorist activities
    in
    Thailand and so we were fortunate to be able to arrest them
    before they carried out their planned activities."
    Regional officials say Jemaah is an Islamic militant group
    with tentacles across Southeast Asia and believed responsible
    for the Bali bomb attack last October and violence in the
    Philippines.

    The three Thai Muslims were arrested in the south of the
    country on Tuesday (June 10), while the Singaporean was taken
    into custody in Bangkok on May 16 and sent to Singapore the
    next day.

    That suspect, Arifin bin Ali, is believed to be the leader
    of a group of Jemaah Islamiah operatives who had also planned
    to hijack a plane and crash it into Changi airport in the city
    state, the Singapore government said in a statement.

    Phuangketkeow said that security would of course be
    tightened in the region.

    "We always make sure that we have the necessary security
    measures in place but of course now that this incident has
    taken place we will have to enhance the security measures. We
    will have to see what comes out of the investigation and the
    interrogation of the suspects."
    He said they were planning to carry out attacks on foreign
    embassies and tourist attractions, including Pattaya and
    Phuket.

    Pattaya and Phuket are hugely popular beach destinations
    frequented throughout the year by thousands of tourists,
    mainly Westerners.

    The tourism industry has already been severely affected by
    the war in Iraq and the SARS crisis, with tourist arrivals
    dropping by up to 60%. But Phuangketkeow said that tourists
    should not be afraid to travel in the region.

    "Well nowadays everybody has to be careful, wherever you
    go but I don't think that the fear of terrorism should
    frighten us and prevent us from travelling. Everyone has to be
    careful and the governments concerned will have to be careful
    and ensure that we have measures in place".

    The Singapore government said Arifin, also known as John
    Wong Ah Hung, was arrested and detained under the Internal
    Security Act as soon as he was sent from Thailand and he was
    currently in the custody of the republic's Internal Security
    Department (ISD).

    The statement gave no reason why the information was
    announced only on Tuesday. Singapore's Internal Security Act
    allows for indefinite detention without trial.

    jrc/crb


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