The Storm In Brewing

[Nam Kao]

Regional extremists linking up

Thai rebels get help from Malaysia, Aceh

Post reporters

Intelligence officials from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand believe regional Islamic militants and local separatists could have cooperated in the recent attack on a southern army camp.

``Islamic militants in the region could have joined hands to stage the attack,'' a security source said. `` This is a security concern that we [intelligence officials in the three countries] share.''

Senior intelligence officials from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand met recently in Malaysia to analyse the Jan 4 attack on an army camp in Narathiwat's Cho Airong district and the simultaneous torching of 20 local schools .

The source said an investigation which confirmed some of the attackers were Malaysians was the chief concern.

Malaysian nationals were also said to be involved in the attack on a police station at Ayer Weng, in Yala's Betong district, on Jan 7.

Covert ties existed between local separatists and regional Islamic militants, especially the Kampulan Mujahideen Malaysia (KMM), a militant group across the southern border, the source said.

Leading members of the Pattani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo), the mainstream separatist movement in southern Thailand, were also known to have connections with the Free Aceh Movement, which trained Pulo members.

``When they piece together the jigsaw, intelligence officials cannot dismiss the possibility,'' the source said.

``What we cannot say clearly at the moment is whether they also have links to Indonesia-based Jemaah Islamiyah.'' A security source earlier said tactics used during the attack on the army camp were similar to those used by Aceh rebels to delay pursuing forces.

The Islamic militants share the ideal of a pan-Islamic state encompassing Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand's southern provinces.

Meanwhile, military sources in Narathiwat said Malaysian troops had arrested 10 people along the border, on suspicion they were involved in the Jan 4 camp arsenal raid. They were apprehended during raids on shelters known to have been used by the KMM.

Four held dual Thai-Malaysian nationality. The others were Burmese and Pakistani nationals.

In Yala, police yesterday arrested Kamaruding Yihing, 30, for joining the attack on the Ayer Weng police station. He is the third suspect arrested.

The source said Malaysian teams had put up wanted posters in Batupuloh border village, opposite Narathiwat, for 25 separatists on the Thai blacklist and warned people against sheltering them or withholding information.