New Mastermind Behind Southern Bombing : Police

[webfact]

SOUTH CRISIS

New mastermind behind Southern bombing : police

By The Nation

Security officials probing a bomb attack in Yala on Tuesday that wounded scores of victims, including young students, have identified the possible mastermind: an insurgent leader "competing" to take over terror operations after his area chief was killed recently.

The man was named as Abdulloh Pulah, who sources said was demonstrating his potential against another area leader in Yala, Hubaidilah Romli, for the position of provincial terror chief - replacing Ma-ae Aphibalbae, who was shot dead recently in a gunfight with authorities.

Abdulloh is wanted for several crimes and terror attacks and his colleagues include his cell's bomb-maker, Kohseng Toh.

Among the many victims in Tuesday's blast across from a school in Bannang Sata district, Sergeant Major Saroj, 45, yesterday succumbed to severe head wounds.

Police are also tracking Muhammad Hayisamoh, another suspect implicated in Tuesday's explosion. An unidentified suspect is in the custody of Army rangers, according to a commander, Colonel Khomkrit Rattanachaya.

More patrols by Army rangers have been provided along the route to Tao Poon School after the bomb attack while evidence is being collected, he said.

The insurgency in the deep South now concentrates on four targets - local Buddhists, teachers, monks and trains - according to senior commander Pol Colonel Phommphet Phiphatphetphoom.

Attempts are being made on these targets almost daily under the insurgency's new tactics - to create terror and discourage local Muslims from coordinating with authorities.

Based on intelligence reports on insurgent tactics, Pattani continues to see the most violence because it has the largest Buddhist communities. Areas between Narathiwat and Yala see frequent explosions as insurgents use them to experiment with bomb-making techniques and war weapons.

In Yala, all types of attack are being used to disrupt both the economy and authorities located in more than 30 complexes across the province, Phommphet said.

-- The Nation 2011-07-21

[exbelg]

sad but isn't this whole south region not a former islam state if you read the history books ?

what is there to gain for thailand to keep this troubled province ?

[EvilDrSomkid]

Oil and gas.

[blazes]

sad but isn't this whole south region not a former islam state if you read the history books ?

what is there to gain for thailand to keep this troubled province ?

Ideally, any Thai central govt should just cut them loose and tell them "it's all yours". However, if there is a lot of oil, gas or rubber or whatever commodity is at stake, it will probably be too hard to do. Or is Loss of Face involved in all this?

Doesn't matter what govt is in power in Bkk...this is (like Northern Ireland, or Palestine) a "problem" that ain't going to go away without a lot of hard work and compromise .....erm, loss of face?

If a Thai govt can't resolve the problem of a ruin (economically worthless) on the border with Cambodia, what hope is there of dealing with the "Mastermind" in the South.

The great satirical review, Beyond the Fringe, had a sketch in which Dudley Moore was interviewing Inspector Knacker of the Yard (Peter Cook) about Scotland Yard's attempts to find the robbers who carried out the Great Train Robbery, and Knacker told the interviewer that the Yard was using a code word for "Mastermind"....it was "mindermast"...he didn't want to depress the morale of the lads investigating this heinous crime.

[TimTang]

sad but isn't this whole south region not a former islam state if you read the history books ?

what is there to gain for thailand to keep this troubled province ?

Islam is an expansionist ideology with the goal of ultimately controlling the entire planet. Stealing land and possessions from infidels is not a crime in Islam, it is considered returning such to alla and the rightful owners, the followers of alla; the muslims.

If Thailand gave the bottom 5 provinces to Islam it wouldn't be long before this entire scenario would be repeated for the next 5 provinces. There are already plans for moving their low-intensity war fare (or terrorism) to Bangkok.

When you're reading the history of the region maybe you should consider what was there before Islam and how many of the indigenous people were slaughtered in order to convert it into an Islamic state. They don't just want the 5 bottom provinces, they want ALL of Thailand and her neighboring countries. Spain was also an Islamic state; maybe we should just give that to them as well?

Edited July 21, 2011 by TimTang

[schondie]

As one that has lived in Narathiwat and spent much time in the deep south I would like to say that 99.99% of the Muslims I know are proud to be Thai and feel sad that a small bunch of uneducated idiots are causing so many deaths. They aren't interested in being part of Malaysia as they know that their lives won't change for the better either. They are Thai and proud of it.

The have the same struggles in trying to get by and give their children a better live and the vast majority of them understand that education is the key to a better life. The terrorists prey on the uneducated and exploit them for their own gains.

I have seen so many families move from Narathiwat and Pattani as they only want to lead a peaceful life. I don't understand one of the comments above about Islam being an expansionist religion as Satun province is never affected by these cowardly acts. No religion is perfect but I feel that Thai Muslims are really some of the most friendly and warm people I have ever met.

We shouldn't judge Thai Muslims by what we read in the western press either.

[Johpa]

No religion is perfect but I feel that Thai Muslims are really some of the most friendly and warm people I have ever met.

We shouldn't judge Thai Muslims by what we read in the western press either.

The problem is not Muslims. The vast majority of Muslims I know, both those in Thailand, in North America, as well as in the Middle East where I spent time decades ago, are indeed warm gregarious people. The problem resides in Islam and the intractable structure of Islam where the world is divided between Dar al-Islam and Dar al-Harb, and then is combined with the concept of Jihad which is the logical consequence of that bifurcated division of the world. The only effective method to battle Islam is to deny faith in the invisible man in the sky. The Thais, being Buddhist, thus have a slight advantage over the western nation-states whose citizens still cling to numerous variations in the existence of Zeus.

[davidkia]

As one that has lived in Narathiwat and spent much time in the deep south I would like to say that 99.99% of the Muslims I know are proud to be Thai and feel sad that a small bunch of uneducated idiots are causing so many deaths. They aren't interested in being part of Malaysia as they know that their lives won't change for the better either. They are Thai and proud of it.

The have the same struggles in trying to get by and give their children a better live and the vast majority of them understand that education is the key to a better life. The terrorists prey on the uneducated and exploit them for their own gains.

I have seen so many families move from Narathiwat and Pattani as they only want to lead a peaceful life. I don't understand one of the comments above about Islam being an expansionist religion as Satun province is never affected by these cowardly acts. No religion is perfect but I feel that Thai Muslims are really some of the most friendly and warm people I have ever met.

We shouldn't judge Thai Muslims by what we read in the western press either.

yes you might be right but the Muslim will always agree with the caran not that i blame them but i true thought is this , not every Muslim in terist but almost all the terist are Muslims !

Give them the bennifit of doult and they will use that to take over the world for sure , where ever they are there is always problems they don't wont to live in piece with otheres unless they are muslim & they still kill one another then!

[cdnski12]

Muslims pray 5 times per day. Several of the repeated prayers, are that "Allah" allow them to kill infidels. While the prayers may well be in Arabic, which most Muslims do not comprehend fluently, I continue to have a problem with people who pray that Allah enables the supplicant to kill me, 5 times per day. Remember, that is Muslims everywhere.

[erobando]

Almost all terrorists are Muslim? Where did that stat come from?

I think there are a lot of over-generalizations here. And I don't think it is right to link all Muslims together, too.

There are Muslims in Thailand that are ethnically Thai, and some that are Malay. And some Malay people might feel more integrated into Thai society than others.

The issue isn't as simple as Islam telling people to do this or that Muslims want to take over the world (LOL).

And, as far as Thailand's policy, how many nations would easily give up territory just because a small portion of the population engage in violent acts?

Edited July 22, 2011 by erobando