Southern Islamic school’s assets seized

BANGKOK, Sept 4 – The Thai government's Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) has seized the assets of an Islamic religious (pondok) school in Narathiwat province in connection with the insurgency in Thailand’s far South and for allegedly using the school as a centre for making bombs and sheltering insurgents.

AMLO secretary general Pol Col Sihanart Prayoonrat said the confiscated assets, worth more than three million baht, included the plot of land where the Islam Burapa school is located. He said the school has received financial support from several foundations in the Middle East.

A preliminary investigation has contributed to a suspected connection between the school and the Taleban Islamic militant movement, he said, adding that bombs have been made in the school compound.

AMLO is investigating two other Muslim schools in the South suspected of receiving overseas financial support to help the southern insurgents, Pol Col Sihanart said.

In August, he said, AMLO ordered the seizure of assets in three other cases and pressed an initial money laundering charge against the suspects after the authorities found assets worth over Bt16 million, including gold ornaments, Thai and Malaysian banknotes, in the possession of Suriyan Pongmanavuth and his colleagues.

In the second case, Saengthit Katisomskul and his associates had 35 items, worth more than one million baht, impounded while a third case involved a woman suspect, Pranom Prawkoksoong, and others whose assets were seized and who were charged with drug trafficking, sex slavery and human trafficking.

He said locations—whether houses, schools, rubber plantations or hotels—which provide shelter, food, arms and ammunition to terrorists will be seriously dealt with in accord with the laws and their assets will be seized under the Anti-Money Laundering Act. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-09-04

Reminds me of the song Cat Stevens sang..."where do the children play."

Edited September 4, 201213 yr by jerrysteve

Apparently they have some additional subjects not approved by the Ministry of Education.

Edited September 4, 201213 yr by Scott
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This is going to be an interesting few weeks one would assume.

A preliminary investigation has contributed to a suspected connection between the school and the Taleban Islamic militant movement, he said, adding that bombs have been made in the school compound.

I wonder what will come out of the more advanced investigation.

AMLO will most likely find all the Islamic schools are involved....

in more ways than one may imagine.

Good work !

And more to come.

And hope to see them given a stoning.

NO mercy for the hartless.

A school involved in those friendly chaps who burn down other schools and kill/behead teachers?

What next, female kids need to stay home?

Really funny that it is the anti money laundering mob who can get to sort out a problem neither the police, army, DSI or the other tin badged group could not. Sad for the kiddies at the school - perhaps the local Wat and monks can undertake to teach them... (wishful thinking).

Really funny that it is the anti money laundering mob who can get to sort out a problem neither the police, army, DSI or the other tin badged group could not. Sad for the kiddies at the school - perhaps the local Wat and monks can undertake to teach them... (wishful thinking).

Agree with you, but sometimes the money side is the weak link for these gangsters, remember the US got Al Capone through his tax returns, not by all the gun-toting Feds!

Really funny that it is the anti money laundering mob who can get to sort out a problem neither the police, army, DSI or the other tin badged group could not. Sad for the kiddies at the school - perhaps the local Wat and monks can undertake to teach them... (wishful thinking).

Allowing taleban money to be moved thru your banks gets a little bit of international interest. U reckon they did this all on their own research?

Really funny that it is the anti money laundering mob who can get to sort out a problem neither the police, army, DSI or the other tin badged group could not. Sad for the kiddies at the school - perhaps the local Wat and monks can undertake to teach them... (wishful thinking).

Allowing taleban money to be moved thru your banks gets a little bit of international interest. U reckon they did this all on their own research?

Considering 90%+ of the worlds illegal heroin is now sourced out of Afghanistan and a lot moved through Iran, it's surprising that more action is not taken against the US & UK international banks who have assisted Iran with money laundering. The banks have only been fined and to my knowledge no executives have been charged and arrested. - a bit like the Thai judicial system that everyone complains about. Let's see if the current allegations are backed up by US announcements. If overseas funding is really involved you would assume it's more likely coming from Wahhabi supporters in Saudi Arabia, routed through the Hawala process

Edited September 4, 201213 yr by simple1

Really funny that it is the anti money laundering mob who can get to sort out a problem neither the police, army, DSI or the other tin badged group could not. Sad for the kiddies at the school - perhaps the local Wat and monks can undertake to teach them... (wishful thinking).

Allowing taleban money to be moved thru your banks gets a little bit of international interest. U reckon they did this all on their own research?

Considering 90%+ of the worlds illegal heroin is now sourced out of Afghanistan and a lot moved through Iran it's surprising that more action is not taken against the US & UK international banks who have assisted Iran with money laundering. However, let's see if the current allegations are backed up by US announcements. It overseas funding is really involved you would assume it's more likely coming from Wahhabi supporters in Saudi Arabia.

Plenty of fines coming for that Iranian mess

Really funny that it is the anti money laundering mob who can get to sort out a problem neither the police, army, DSI or the other tin badged group could not. Sad for the kiddies at the school - perhaps the local Wat and monks can undertake to teach them... (wishful thinking).

Allowing taleban money to be moved thru your banks gets a little bit of international interest. U reckon they did this all on their own research?

Considering 90%+ of the worlds illegal heroin is now sourced out of Afghanistan and a lot moved through Iran it's surprising that more action is not taken against the US & UK international banks who have assisted Iran with money laundering. However, let's see if the current allegations are backed up by US announcements. It overseas funding is really involved you would assume it's more likely coming from Wahhabi supporters in Saudi Arabia.

Plenty of fines coming for that Iranian mess

yes & UK Police Fraud investigations team are now involved, so will be interesting to see at what management level in the Bank/s are charged

I think this action has going to have some interesting, expected as well as unexpected consequences. Having said that I guess this will not be an understatement.

Well, many Middle Eastern countries help finance Islamic schools around the world. Especially from Saudi Arabia and Dubai. Why, they have a firm belief in increasing people’s knowledge and being successful. That is one of the first tenants of Islam and they have demonstrated that since the founding of Islam. They built schools, founded well known universities, libraries.

So, for Thai government to say that the school is receiving money from so called Terrorist groups is unheard of.

What proof do they have, they are Thai and we all know that Thai when they make this kind of charge end up being shown to be complete idiots.

Really funny that it is the anti money laundering mob who can get to sort out a problem neither the police, army, DSI or the other tin badged group could not. Sad for the kiddies at the school - perhaps the local Wat and monks can undertake to teach them... (wishful thinking).

Allowing taleban money to be moved thru your banks gets a little bit of international interest. U reckon they did this all on their own research?

Considering 90%+ of the worlds illegal heroin is now sourced out of Afghanistan and a lot moved through Iran, it's surprising that more action is not taken against the US & UK international banks who have assisted Iran with money laundering. The banks have only been fined and to my knowledge no executives have been charged and arrested. - a bit like the Thai judicial system that everyone complains about. Let's see if the current allegations are backed up by US announcements. If overseas funding is really involved you would assume it's more likely coming from Wahhabi supporters in Saudi Arabia, routed through the Hawala process

Too right simple1...

Hong Kong bank is in a bit of a mess with this right now...via Mexico and

Iran.

Well, many Middle Eastern countries help finance Islamic schools around the world. Especially from Saudi Arabia and Dubai. Why, they have a firm belief in increasing people’s knowledge and being successful. That is one of the first tenants of Islam and they have demonstrated that since the founding of Islam. They built schools, founded well known universities, libraries.

So, for Thai government to say that the school is receiving money from so called Terrorist groups is unheard of.

What proof do they have, they are Thai and we all know that Thai when they make this kind of charge end up being shown to be complete idiots.

What you say in the beginning is true Muhammed.

However monetary transactions are not that dificult

to trace these days. To counter what you say...

"What proof do they have, they are Thai and we all

know that Thai when they make this kind of charge

end up being shown to be complete idiots."....

I reckon that AMLO has all the facts they need

and are in the process of gathering more to

continue shutting down madrasah's who run

afoul of genuine Islamic teachings.

Note...Not all Muslims are terrorists but it seems

that in the 21st century all terrorists are Muslim.

A good example is what happened in Pakistan

a while ago when one group of Muslim Terrorists

attacked a mosque during Friday prayers.

Reason for the attack....The attackers felt that

the Muslims praying in the mosque were not

Islamic enough.

I rest my rant.