Arrest Warrant Issued Over Saudi Murder

[waza]

I first heard of this on TVF a few years ago and find it facinating....................

Thailand belongs - beside Israel - to the few countries on Earth that can afford to have no full diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia. Most readers won't be aware why Thailand ostracizes Saudi Arabia. Wait, it's the other way round. Saudi Arabia is still waiting for justice. Prime Minister Abhisit wants to draw a line under the decades old case and normalize relations with the Saudis. After 19 years - finally? - an arrest warrant is issued. The whole saga began in 1989, in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

continued here.........

http://absolutelybangkok.com/blue-diamond-...r-re-revisited/

The top Saudi Arabian diplomat in Thailand, Mohammed Said Khoja, reached across his desk to a zippered black bag, opened it and carefully removed his gun. The chrome-plated .38-caliber Smith & Wesson is always at his side.

Does he need protection from international terrorists? No, Mr. Khoja explained, cradling the pistol in one hand. He needs protection from the national police of Thailand, a remarkable assertion that few people in Thailand would dispute.

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/19/world/sa...the-police.html

Edited August 7, 2009 by waza

[caf]

The fact that the top police special investigations officer was convicted in the murder of the jeweler's wife and son and remains in prison serving a life sentence -- if he is still there -- means this case goes very high indeed. This happened right before I arrived in Thailand and was front-page news for years.

Amazing -- a barely-educated worker from central Thailand manages to steal a hundred kilos worth of priceless jewelry from the Royal Household in Saudi Arabia, take it back to Thailand and through customs and not get caught at the time! This guy is a genius and should be prime minister.

OR there's a a whole, whole lot more to the story (which is what most people believe).

At any rate, it remains a fascinating tale.

As you say "Amazing"

LOS Land of Secrets. Land of Scams.

But Land of Smiles - - the reason why we all like Thailand - - is getting pushed further and further down the list.

[jayboy]

I'm sure the thought has occurred to many but has not yet been specifically expressed here , namely.is there any chance at all that a Saudi (as opposed to a THai) assassin was involved at all ? Looks to me like a classic and brazen lie.

[sriracha john]

'Arab man' is the latest twist in Saudi case

Abu Ali, where are you? The "Arab man" - the description given by the Department of Special Investigation - is being sought by the DSI for suspected involvement in shooting to death a Saudi Arabian diplomat 19 years ago. Less than a year before the cases hit the 20-year statute of limitations on investigations, the name of Abu Ali came out of nowhere on Wednesday as a new suspect.

The DSI secured an arrest warrant for the man. Investigators believe he murdered Abdullah A Al-Besri, one of three Saudi diplomats, on Feb 1, 1990. The other two were Fahad AZ Albahli and Ahman A Al-Saif. Another diplomat from the same country, Saleh Abullah Al-Maliki, was gunned down on Jan 4, 1989. Another Saudi businessman, Mohammad al-Ruwaili, mysteriously went missing on Feb 14, 1990.

Thus far police investigators and DSI inspectors who took over the case from police five years ago are in the dark on who did it. Riyadh believes the case has been going on and on until it is about to expire because policemen were part of the murder. With new evidence pointing to Abu Ali, Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga boasted about the progress of the investigation. The minister even hoped that coming up with the arrest warrant on Abu Ali was good enough to improve ties with Saudi Arabia. The oil-rich country downgraded bilateral relations from the ambassadorial level after their people were murdered and went missing. It also

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion...t-in-saudi-case

-- Bangkok Post 2009-08-10

[sriracha john]

Meanwhile, and only as a side note, 536 Million Baht is stolen in a separate Saudi royalty jewelry theft case...

Saudi Princess loses a fortune

Rome - Burglars made off with jewels and cash worth 11 million euros ($15.6 million) from the hotel room of a Saudi princess in Sardinia, Italians newspapers reported Sunday, sparking a diplomatic incident.

It was the biggest heist from Saudi royalty since Kriangkrai Techamong, a Thai worker stole a fabled blue diamond and a 90kg bag of other jewellery from the wife of the future king of the country.

Sardinia is a large island belonging to Italy, and about 200km off the west coast of the country. It has many luxury resorts, and Premier Silvio Berlusconi owns property on the island.

"The thieves used a master key. In 10 minutes at dinner time, without making any noise, they managed to remove the safe from a suite occupied by the Saudi princess," who was not named, the daily La Stampa reported.

The safe was only fixed with silicon to the wall into which it was embedded, it said.

According to the daily La Republica, the burglary sparked a diplomatic incident.

"A military official from the Saudi embassy arrived in Sardinia and the Italian secret services and diplomats from both countries have been involved."

A Moroccan businessman also had his room burgled in another luxury hotel on the Costa Smeralda, the most chic resort area on the island, where Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi also owns a luxury villa. Using a similar technique, thieves pulled the safe out of the wall and got away with around 150,000 euros worth of jewels and money.

Both burglaries were carried out this week. The two hotels belong to the same chain, Iti Hotels.

Investigators suspect they were the work of an expert gang, probably from abroad, helped by someone with inside knowledge, who had worked in both establishments.

A third burglary was carried out in a hotel in Portofino, on Italy's northwest coast, where a German businessman had the safe stolen from his room, containing a million euros worth of jewellery and 3,000 in cash, according to Il Corriere della Sera.

- AFP / 2009-08-09

[Loaded]

...but I vaguely remember some Khunying on the front page of the BKK Post with her politician (?) husband and wearing a beautiful necklace that was later fingered as one of the stolen items.

When she was asked about, she said she a friend had lent her the necklace, but she suddenly couldn't remember the friends name!!!!

That would have been Khunying Phankrua Yongchaiyudh, wife of General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, the 22nd Prime Minister of Thailand.

Thaksin's mentor and sponsor

[Bagwan]

Saudi Princess loses a fortune

Rome - Burglars made off with jewels and cash worth 11 million euros ($15.6 million) from the hotel room of a Saudi princess in Sardinia, Italians newspapers reported Sunday, sparking a diplomatic incident.

It was the biggest heist from Saudi royalty since Kriangkrai Techamong, a Thai worker stole a fabled blue diamond and a 90kg bag of other jewellery from the wife of the future king of the country.

Sardinia is a large island belonging to Italy, and about 200km off the west coast of the country. It has many luxury resorts, and Premier Silvio Berlusconi owns property on the island.

The Italian Job - part the second.

The Italian police are anxious to speak with the drivers of 3 Mini Coopers, one red, one white and the other blue, since they think that they can assist in their enquiries.

[faranginbkk]

I thought the murderer was likely Thai, not Saudi

[Samuian]

That would have been Khunying Phankrua Yongchaiyudh, wife of General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, the 22nd Prime Minister of Thailand.

Thaksin's mentor and sponsor

Spot on!

Well but then didn't he repent recently and his sins all forgotten and forgiven forever?

Me thinks it's a huge scam against the good and honest citizens and it's law enforcement!

Let the the "disciple" of this honorable man explain, he will dish out a story which will top

anything written, read, seen or heard in the last 2500 years or so....after all he made the

it to the very top news with two simple words which wrap it all up: "honest mistake"!

How did this "worker" get the 70 kilo "over weight" through,

how could he avoid with this kind of luggage customs, not to mention metal detectors,

x-ray machines and after all maybe the stolen good were fake right from the beginning...

or it's all made up black mail...

Well this is TiT at it's finest, unbeatable!

Edited August 10, 2009 by Samuian

[LomSak27]

Less than a year before the cases hit the 20-year statute of limitations on investigations, the name of Abu Ali came out of nowhere on Wednesday as a new suspect … With new evidence pointing to Abu Ali, Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga boasted about the progress of the investigation. The minister even hoped that coming up with the arrest warrant on Abu Ali was good enough to improve ties with Saudi Arabia

Ah, one last desperate farcical attempt to show they are doing something before it all gets officially swept under the rug. Riyadh will most likely regard it as the final insult after twenty years of insults. Methinks it was not a good idea to pull a gem scam on a Prince, especially when he becomes the king of Saudi Arabia.

Too bad about that 3.2 Bn usd per year remitted to the country by the thai work force in Saudi before their expulsion, but it was only poor people, so who cares.

[mrtoad]

You couldn't make this story up, totally unbelievable but typically Thailand.

[steveromagnino]

As I recall Chavalit was on the one side, and head of police at the time was Bramarn Adireksarn (definitely this family, not 100% sure whether this is the correct name) and he basically managed to somehow work with Chavalit to get a gag order and just stop everyone talking about things.

The sequence went something like this:

- labourer gradually stole a bunch of jewelry AFAIK stuffing it into fruit with the cores cut out - I am unsure if this was all at one time or bit by bit

- prince reports his stuff missing

- Thai police recover the jewels

- jewels handed back

- prince complains jewels are fakes, demands that the one diamond, the blue diamond, is returned, the rest nevermind

- various images appear of wives of senior politicians and in particular wives of military, police and neveau riche upstarts wearing various items from the collection; long spoken rumours speak of photos of a more senior wife who has since disappeared from Thailand also seen wearing the jewelry, but personally I suspect this rumour has been developed by some of the current batch of senior politician families in order to make their own dirty actions seem less suspect - possible, plausible, but everyone involved was dirty

- jewel not handed back; jeweller 'middle man' family taken away by police to probably lean on him somehow; end up murdered

- jeweller middle man refuses to talk

- wives and politicians caught on film Duran Duran style (girls on film, 2 minutes later) claim to have bought fakes/borrowed/etc etc

- middle/senior policeman captured and sent to jail for his role in the abduction and murder

- Adireksarn/Yongchaiyudh clans issue gag order and demand everyone stop talking about this nonsense

- suspension of diplomatic relations for this and some murders as well of diplomats; many people believe the two matters were linked

As i recall, the labourer at some point was murdered? or went to jail? one of the two.

All very sad; interesting to note that at no time was this ever reopened until the coup govt; only when Pongpol Adireksarn and Chavalit among others were not in the govt did the case become something that could be addressed again. Rumours abound of complicity including Chalerm etc etc and a few other police/military types; AFAIK the Shinawatras played no role in it - this was a bit before his time despite his friendship with Big Jiew, but of course he couldn't very well open up a case that would totally root a fair chunk of his 'kit mai tum mai' cabinet colleagues.

The poor people of Isaan are the ones who tend to be labourers, and so it is perfectly logical that they should not be looked after in this matter. After all, they can always rely on winning the lottery to make their fortunes - why on earth do they need to go work abroad in Saudi earning 10X more than what they can earn locally?

:-0

A few people should go to hel_l for their roles in this.

[wintermute]

It's impossible to feel any sympathy for anyone involved in this case. Saudis are some of the worst abusers of human rights so they get what was coming for them. I'm not surprised to hear a lot of people involved with on the Thai side ended up dead too. It's a case of greed and evil consuming itself over time. I really doubt anything will be recovered either. The pampered wives of the ultra rich thais are long gone with that diamond.

[waza]

That would have been Khunying Phankrua Yongchaiyudh, wife of General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, the 22nd Prime Minister of Thailand.

Thaksin's mentor and sponsor

Spot on!

Well but then didn't he repent recently and his sins all forgotten and forgiven forever?

Me thinks it's a huge scam against the good and honest citizens and it's law enforcement!

Let the the "disciple" of this honorable man explain, he will dish out a story which will top

anything written, read, seen or heard in the last 2500 years or so....after all he made the

it to the very top news with two simple words which wrap it all up: "honest mistake"!

How did this "worker" get the 70 kilo "over weight" through,

how could he avoid with this kind of luggage customs, not to mention metal detectors,

x-ray machines and after all maybe the stolen good were fake right from the beginning...

or it's all made up black mail...

Well this is TiT at it's finest, unbeatable!

If you read the aticles I posted links to, you will find he Fed Exed them to himself in Thailand.........Then sold them for $30US a piece

[caf]

Warrant issued over Saudi murder

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) issued an arrest warrant yesterday for a suspect behind the murder of a Saudi diplomat 19 years ago.

Police Colonel Thawee Sodsong, Director of the DSI, said his department had gathered enough evidence to charge Abu Ali for the murder of one of four Saudis, Abdullah A. al-Besri, who was gunned down in Bangkok in January 1990.

Al-Besri and the three others- two diplomats and a private citizen - were assigned to look into the highly publicised Saudi diamond scandal that shattered diplomatic ties between Thailand and Saudi Arabia. One diplomat was killed in 1989, two others Saudis died with al-Besri the following year.

Thawee did not say why it has taken nearly two decades to file charges against the suspect, whose whereabouts are unknown.

The original theft was committed by Thai labourer Kriangkrai Techamong, who was working at Prince Faisal's palace in Saudi Arabia in 1989.

Observers said the case, if fully exposed, could bring down a number of senior Thai government and police officials responsible for substituting the retrieved jewelery with crude fakes, including an imitation of the "priceless" Blue Diamond.

Police Lt-General Chalor Kerdthes, the former crime-buster at the centre of the scandal, is currently serving a life sentence for masterminding the killing of the wife and son of a jewelery dealer, Santi Srithanakhan, who was linked to the case.

Bilateral ties between the two countries took a nosedive following the murder of the three diplomats and another Saudi citizen in Bangkok.

Efforts have been made to upgrade relations, but the Saudis have said full diplomatic ties will only return if the murder cases are resolved and the real Blue Diamond taken during the theft is found and returned.

-- The Nation 2009-08-06

Do you have an update onthis . SJ?

[PoorSucker]

Court asked to declare Saudi businessman "missing"

The Office of the Attorney-General on Wednesday asked the South Bangkok Criminal Court asking it to declare a Saudi business who disappeared in 1990 a "missing person".

.......... snip

The missing man was seen in a car with Saudi consul Abdullah al-Besri on Feb 12, 1990, and was reported missing three days later.

.......... snip

It was widely suspected that al-Ruwaili was kidnapped by police investigating the Saudi consul's murder, and that he was tortured and later killed by his captors to cover up their brutal actions.

The businessman's disappearance and the consul's murder followed the killing of three other Saudi diplomats were in separate shootings on Feb 1, 1989. One of the diplomats, Saleh Abdullah al-Maliki, third secretary at the Saudi embassy in Bangkok, was shot dead in front of his home in soi Pipat 1.

Hole article here: Bangkok Post

-- Bangkok Post 2009-09-02

[Prudent_rabbit]

According to Wikipedia, The number of Thai workers in Saudi Arabia fell from over 150,000 in 1989 to 10,000 in 2006.

Thats a lot of money lost!

[LomSak27]

The figure normally quoted is 250,000 and that has been termed a "low ball" estimate

[Netfan]

What are the odds of this happening soon: an Arab looking person being shot dead, trying to escape capture by the BiB, amazingly identified as the infamous Abu Ali. BTW, isn't that the name of the 7-11 owner in the Simpsons? Maybe they should be looking in Springfield.

Edited September 3, 2009 by Netfan

[PoorSucker]

What are the odds of this happening soon: an Arab looking person being shot dead, trying to escape capture by the BiB, amazingly identified as the infamous Abu Ali. BTW, isn't that the name of the 7-11 owner in the Simpsons? Maybe they should be looking in Springfield.

Nope that's Apu Nahasapeemapetilon Ph.D.

[KevinBloodyWilson]

I thought the murderer was likely Thai, not Saudi

Just the Thai way of saying it was the Arab's own fault.

It really is remarkable the way the cradle-to-the-grave propaganda people are exposed to in Thailand really makes these people believe they are smarter than everyone else (or alternatively, everyone else is stupider than a Thai).

There is a term for this. It is called delusional.

[cloudhopper]

Wow this case is just unbelievable.

What kind of government would trade good employment for a quarter million of it's own people and diplomatic relations with a major energy producer for some baubles? That this not only happened but was and still is being so ruthlessly (the latest pathetic and humiliating bib theater notwithstanding) and blatantly covered up leads to only one inescapable, shocking conclusion. So sad.

[Johpa]

.....but I vaguely remember some Khunying on the front page of the BKK Post with her politician (?) husband and wearing a beautiful necklace that was later fingered as one of the stolen items.

When she was asked about, she said she a friend had lent her the necklace, but she suddenly couldn't remember the friends name!!!!

She was caught wearing the jewels at a social event in Hong Kong where a picture of her was published in the social pages of a local newspaper. Soon after some fake jewelery was dropped off at a police station.

This case reaches, as Artisi hinted, into the highest stratas of Thailand's social scene, people who will not allow themselves to lose face, even at the expense of the country. It has become a tradition.

Edited September 3, 2009 by Johpa

[stumonster]

This case reaches, as Artisi hinted, into the highest stratas of Thailand's social scene, people who will not allow themselves to lose face, even at the expense of the country. It has become a tradition.

this was before the Internet - I doubt they understand that it cannot be gagged - it is a wonder photos have not circulated yet

[junkofdavid2]

Here's what seems to be an excellent (and long very detailed) timeline of the case from jotman.blogspot:

Jotman's Blue Diamond Affair Timeline

http://jotman.blogspot.com/2009/08/timelin...ond-affair.html

Edited September 3, 2009 by junkofdavid2

[Seismic]

Wow this case is just unbelievable.

What kind of government would trade good employment for a quarter million of it's own people and diplomatic relations with a major energy producer for some baubles? That this not only happened but was and still is being so ruthlessly (the latest pathetic and humiliating bib theater notwithstanding) and blatantly covered up leads to only one inescapable, shocking conclusion. So sad.

Problem is ..as usual here, its not about the government or the people its about the people who really run the country. I have been here through this whole amazing story, and believe me, it will never come out. The people who wore these jewels dont give a hoot about the lost remittances of workers, they are alright jack..thanks very much

[Bizz]

Here's what seems to be an excellent (and long very detailed) timeline of the case from jotman.blogspot:

Jotman's Blue Diamond Affair Timeline

http://jotman.blogspot.com/2009/08/timelin...ond-affair.html

thanks, cool, all seems clear now.

[LomSak27]

Stumonster posted

this was before the Internet - I doubt they understand that it cannot be gagged - it is a wonder photos have not circulated yet

They have come and are now gone. The internet has been cleaned up quite nicely, thank you! When I first got the internet in the mid 90's you could turn up a great many articles and pictures of Khunyings at social events with "jewelery" . I should have saved ot file or made hard copies of some of the more interesting ones - flash to 2008 and most of those articles and pics are long gone. The thai gag order on its media, other non thai news media's articles eventually fall off the web, and there you have it - a pretty decent job of internet censorship.

Ah I remember those halcyon days of the 90's when the internet promised everything ... ah well

[PoorSucker]

DSI to search for missing blue diamond of Saudi prince

The Department of Special Investigations believes the missing blue diamond stolen from the Saudi Royal Palace is still in Thailand and the department will try to locate it.

DSI Director-General Tharit Pendit said the department will speed up investigations to try to locate the diamond now that the DSI board has voted to take up the case for investigations.

"The DSI is speeding up probes by focusing on some 3 or four groups, which may keep the diamond," Tharit said.

The diamond was stolen by a Thai worker who worked at the palace along with many other pieces of jewellery.

When Thai police arrested the worker and returned the jewellery, the Saudi Palace cried foul that many pieces, especially the blue diamond, were still missing.

The Nation

-- The Nation 2009-11-27

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[caf]

So who do you think has it?