Bangkok Bombings The Work Of Jemaah Islamiah

[John K]

Wouldn't JI have claimed responsibility?

YES!!!!

[pampal]

Disinformation, misinformation or piss information.

It's all conjecture until real proof is found.

Or maybe it was the big bad wolf

[pampal]

Wouldn't JI have claimed responsibility?

Responsibility is usually made by calling Radio, TV or the Newspapers- how do we know they were not notified??

In the old days maybe, now they use fax,email,video posted on the net.

[Membrane]

But WAIT--we don't want to offend any Muslims by saying that JI was responsible! Maybe we should just take this whole thread down. It's not politically correct to draw connections from terrorist bombings to a suspected terrorist organization!

[Briggsy]

What doesn't make sense is that JI doesn't set off these little grenade bombs, the set off large bombs that kill alot of people. These little firecrackers don't fit their methods.

The analysis I read right after the bombings is that it looked like work from outsiders operating in the south, although the JI were not specifically mentioned. The comparisons made were the numerous, small, coordinated bombings in Bangkok, similar to those in Yala, and the similarity in the bombs used (nails etc.). It was mentioned that the current government would not want to blame terrorists from the south as it would point directly to international terrorists given the government's olive branch policies have been well received by Thailand's southern Moslem community. With Aussie intelligence now also pointing to outside influences, it gives this possibility great credability and scares the hel_l out of me.

This is not Australian intelligence. This is Thai intelligence and an Australian newspaper.

[Ajarn]

From The Nation's weblog:

Defence Minister Boonrawd Somtas said it himself that based on evidence and plausible assumption, he suspected men in uniform were involved in the New Year bomb attacks.

On January 8, General Prem Tinsulanonda, president of the Privy Council, met with 84 senior cavalry officers and key battalion commanders and urged them to act as an anchor for public morale and safeguard the country in light of the unstable situation triggered by political turbulence.

Army chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin outflanked then premier Thaksin Shinawatra by uprooting all of battalion commanders seen as Thaksin's cronies. Sonthi's move undermined the clout of Thaksin's allies from Pre-Cadet Class 10 and paved way for his grip on power. Maj General S, a Thaksin's Pre-Cadet Class 10 fellow graduate and staunch ally, had personal and professional interest to steer officers from Pre-Cadet Class 22-to-24 to rise through the military ranks. The general and his proteges are now assigned to desk job.

In the July's reshuffle, Sonthi chose to fill key battalion positions with graduates from Pre-Cadet Class 25-to-26. And he removed the majority of Pre-Cadet Class 10 officers to inactive positions after the coup. Even though there is no one pointing an accusing finger against former battalion commanders, it is not a mere coincidence that Prem should have an unscheduled meeting with incumbent commanders.

I suspect the masterminds behind the bombing will never be unmasked because it is a long-established tradition that graduates from the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy will not annihilate one another.

Suspected masterminds in all past bombings linked to the military continue to elude the law to this day.

Could not be closer to the truth. There is a major struggle currently between the military and the police. But nobody will ever discuss that openly.

How the ###### would you know??

[bernie66]

But WAIT--we don't want to offend any Muslims by saying that JI was responsible! Maybe we should just take this whole thread down. It's not politically correct to draw connections from terrorist bombings to a suspected terrorist organization!

you got that right.so we can stand by with our thumbs in our rectums and prey that when it happins again our wives or children are not on the street. Besides issues such as drug interdiction are sooooo much more imortant. hey ,thats what we need! about 2 months of drug trafficing news to make the people forget all about it and who thier real enemy is..

[pascharay]

those that know don't say and those that don't know say.

This latest claim sounds more like a smoke and mirror trick to point the finger at anyone other than the real culprits.

As for thai intelligence

they can't be any worse that the CIA and FBI which were unable to stop 9/11, kill OBL, realize that there were no WMDs in Iraq, or keep Britney spears from showing her butt on the internet.

which way did they go which way did they go

duh

[chuchok]

those that know don't say and those that don't know say.

This latest claim sounds more like a smoke and mirror trick to point the finger at anyone other than the real culprits.

As for thai intelligence

they can't be any worse that the CIA and FBI which were unable to stop 9/11, kill OBL, realize that there were no WMDs in Iraq, or keep Britney spears from showing her butt on the internet.

which way did they go which way did they go

duh

I must correct you here,it was Britneys front butt that appeared on the internet.

[moskito]

So inteligence agencies say it was southerners/islamists

while intelligence sources say it was Thaksin cronies.

Anybody else got any theories ?

THEORIES?? a lot...what happend with that one

after a murder, police always asks who profits from it?? .....WHO profit from the Bali bombings ??

who will profit if there is a serious bomb in a tourism center in Thailand?? Where the Touries gonna move??

just another theorie

[george]

Please keep the thread on topic, and avoid insults!

Thanks

[samran]

A couple of points to note:

Australian Federal Police expolsive and forensic experts were on hand to provide 'assistance' the the aftermath of the Thai bombings.

These are the same Federal Police who aided the Indonesian government after the bali bombings, and who helped track down the insigators of that.

Suprising then that an Australian newspaper may then, have a source? (maybe, maybe not).

and....disinformation in the press is sometimes designed to let the real culprits let down their guard just enough.....

Hey, but what do I know? I'm half Thai so at least 50% stupid.....

[danone]

what a rubbish, everything is publishable these days.

The Weekend Australian, check your sources/correspondents.

[Pink Mist]

A couple of points to note:

Australian Federal Police expolsive and forensic experts were on hand to provide 'assistance' the the aftermath of the Thai bombings.

These are the same Federal Police who aided the Indonesian government after the bali bombings, and who helped track down the insigators of that.

Suprising then that an Australian newspaper may then, have a source? (maybe, maybe not).

and....disinformation in the press is sometimes designed to let the real culprits let down their guard just enough.....

Hey, but what do I know? I'm half Thai so at least 50% stupid.....

you are 150% on the money samran

[britmaveric]

Least its smth a little more rational explanation than blaming it on anti-govt factions.

[nasa]

Heard that they already have make 15 arrest today on this issue as reported by Channel News Asia

[AndyCanfield]

Anybody else got any theories ?

Unemployed security guards (;>)=

[englishoak]

First off this does not have the typical footprint of JI never has. I concede there is a possibility of an "involvement" of JI, but I expect that would be minor.

It could have a number of people involved who are either directly or indirectly linked to JI, Muslim insurgents the south etc etc. That does not mean it was a strike on behalf of JI or the separatists in the south.

Consider a few inconsistencies for a moment.

Jemaah Islamiah have to date never been active in central Thailand. they have stuck to training and the supply of south insurgents.

So far the insurgents have not operated outside certain boundaries/ regions in the south.

If it really was the work of either we would expect a far higher body count and far larger/professionally made bombs.

There have been no claims to fame over this. If it were an anti Gov faction it would normally claim responsibility or certainly hint involvement.

Trouble in the south has been thankfully low since Mr T was kicked out. It makes no sense to damage a new regime who has effectively seen off your enemy.

Muslim responsibility is too easy a conclusion to come to. It is likely to be yet another whisper in the wind.

This multiple target operation is far too large to stay hidden for long. There are an awful lot of people involved in this either direct or indirect.

I suspect it is far closer to home than the south or JI. .............Follow the money...........( or the loss of it after TRT ).

I expect the hand behind it is already suspected/known. Weather the people will ever find out the truth is another matter.

[Felt 35]

Anybody else got any theories ?

Not about who, but about why nobody knows except a news source in Australia!

Face

What looks best to make the Kingdom believe and also the International world! Insurgents from the South have moved in to central Thailand or a one-time bad happening in Bangkok!

[Galong]

those that know don't say and those that don't know say.

This latest claim sounds more like a smoke and mirror trick to point the finger at anyone other than the real culprits.

As for thai intelligence

they can't be any worse that the CIA and FBI which were unable to stop 9/11, kill OBL, realize that there were no WMDs in Iraq, or keep Britney spears from showing her butt on the internet.

which way did they go which way did they go

duh

I must correct you here,it was Britneys front butt that appeared on the internet.

"Front Butt" Holy Cow Bro! You made me shoot me beer out me nose... now you owe me a beer... cheers for that one!!

[Bottlerocket]

THE GOVERNMENT DID IT.

[xbusman]

All during the 70s the military retained power under Prem with a constant war on communist insurgents. Today, many people believe that 95% of the battle was mostly fabricated and unneccessary but was a wonderful tool to keep the military in power and lots of US money flowing in. Sometimes it occurs to me that the Islamists are the conveniant new communists. Some ragged starving people with not much to lose can give a great reason to military to protect us.

I am not saying this is not the case or it was not JI. It well could have been. I just am bringing up some historical perspective on Prem and the Thai military operations over the past 40 years. People have a tendancy to repeat behaviour that worked before.

[Tarragona]

All during the 70s the military retained power under Prem with a constant war on communist insurgents. Today, many people believe that 95% of the battle was mostly fabricated and unneccessary

That's interesting. Got any pointers as to where to read up on that, English or Thai.

[londonthai]

Australian Federal Police expolsive and forensic experts were on hand to provide 'assistance' the the aftermath of the Thai bombings.These are the same Federal Police who aided the Indonesian government after the bali bombings, and who helped track down the insigators of that. Suprising then that an Australian newspaper may then, have a source? (maybe, maybe not).and....disinformation in the press is sometimes designed to let the real culprits let down their guard just enough.....hey, but what do I know? I'm half Thai so at least 50% stupid.....

actually before the arrest of the 15 thai inteligence officers in Bangkok this morning there was a warning coming about it

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/20Jan2007_news10.php

so your theory about smokescreens from australia doesn't stick

[JimsKnight]

I don’t know which is worse Tax-ins cronies or JI…….very bad to know JI have made a move in Thailand

This is something that I said right from the start that it was the islamic fundimentalists. I wonder what there next step is??

[MikeWill]

... more rational explanation than blaming it on anti-govt factions.

I second this.

What's also confusing is the number of bombs count, i.e. 8 instead of 9.

[DrBooze]

I don’t know which is worse Tax-ins cronies or JI…….very bad to know JI have made a move in Thailand

This is something that I said right from the start that it was the islamic fundimentalists. I wonder what there next step is??

Its not JI... JI would love to get involved in Thailand but even the US recognises there has been little appetite for the international jihad in the south of thailand. In fact, the insurgency was all but over by 2001 - until Taxin changed the policy. Why would they get involved now? If they can do what they like, now Taxin has gone, why aren't the bombs bigger?

The bombs in Bali which was definately JI, killed 202 people (the biggest terrorist attack since 911). They had a plan to assassinate Clinton. If it was JI, they would have done it better.

Thailand has had about 50 coups since it became a constitutional monarchy. The political situation in thailand is determined by struggles between elites - business vs military, military vs military, military vs police. This isnt conspiracy theory, this is the truth. Read the nation or the BKK post at any election time, and its full of stories of raids on politicians properties with stockpiles of weapons.

These bombs are a product of this power struggle. The people who did these bombs wanted to destablise the coup leaders, not to cause a whole lot of damage ( but enough to achieve their political objectivs). This is why Thai intelligence sources can brief against each other - theyre not on the same side. The both know who really did this.

Some people need to wake up. Why u giving Tacksin the benefit of the doubt? He (or his clique) had more incentive than JI, but most importantly... he had more ability.

[Mid]

5 4 3 2 1

[harsh4]

Interesting...but I think if it was JI they would have planned a 'spectacular' not a series of small explosions. So doubtful..to me at least.

Is this more dis-information?

I also don't understand the second-to-last paragraph about Thaksin-supporters instigating this from Langkawi. Seems to contradict the whol story doesn't it?

I agree. I wouldn't take any of this at face value. There's more to this than meets the eye. All these bombs went off (or were meant to go off) within very short intervals of each other and the entire law enforcment apparatus in the metropolis could not come up with a single clue as to who pulled this off and did not leave a trace of evidence behind ??? How incredible ! Some people or group of people with some kind of association on the 'inside' had to be involved. Too much to expect everyone to believe that a bunch of 'foot soldiers' from malaysia with no knowledge or connections in Bangkok simply walked in planted the bombs and walked out and our police forces had no clue of any of it and afterwards, could not isolate a single 'careless evidence' left behind to start their investigation !! Too good to be true !

[rychrde]

Could not be closer to the truth. There is a major struggle currently between the military and the police. But nobody will ever discuss that openly.

Bangkok politics is often a million miles away from life in the eastern villages - indeed they only knew about the bombings because a friend of mine sent me an sms. However, it is also interesting to see how the power politics filters down.

Firstly, there is an extreme hatred for the encroaching islamification of Thailand and the guys I spoke to also expect the current regime to do absolutely nothing about it. How can they with a muslim leader!?

The open struggle between the police and the military also has an unpleasant side-effect in the provinces. One guy was bragging that he could now openly sell drugs with the full knowledge and consent of the military. the police have been castrated and are powerless to do anything. Nice to see how they protect their people!

rych