Marine Abducted And Shot Dead In Thai South: Army

[webfact]

Marine abducted and shot dead in Thai south: army

NARATHIWAT, Thailand, April 3, 2013 (AFP) - A Thai marine has been abducted and executed in Thailand's deep south in a possible revenge attack for losses sustained by militants in a botched raid on a military base, an army spokesman said Wednesday.

Maela Tolu, a 24-year-old Muslim private at the base, was snatched from his home by eight gunmen on Monday evening, his wife told local police in Narathiwat, one of several insurgency-plagued provinces near the Malaysian border.

His body was found on a village road in another district late Tuesday, as killing in the region continues despite recent peace talks between Thailand and one of the rebel groups.

"He was blindfold, his hands were tied behind his back and he had been shot twice," southern army spokesman Colonel Pramote Promin, told AFP by telephone.

He said the rare kidnapping could have been linked to an unusually brazen attack in February that saw scores of heavily-armed gunmen storm the Narathiwat base. Marines, who had been tipped off in advance, repelled the assault, leaving 16 militants dead.

"We are not one hundred percent sure that this is a revenge attack -- we are still gathering witness and forensic evidence -- but initially we are convinced that it is the work of militants," he said.

More than 5,500 people have been killed in nine years of bloodshed in Thailand's Muslim-majority south, with shadowy insurgent groups blamed for a near-daily litany of bombings and shootings.

Security personnel and those connected with the government are regularly targeted, as well as Muslims perceived to be collaborating with the authorities.

Thailand held its first formal peace talks with southern insurgents last week, with a one-day meeting with representatives of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) in Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur.

But while talks were said to be cordial -- and a further round was set for April 29 -- attacks have continued in the region.

Three other civilians were shot and killed in separate attacks on Tuesday. A 31-year-old Buddhist man and a 48-year-old Muslim man were gunned down in different areas of Narathiwat, while a 54-year-old Muslim man was shot in neighbouring Pattani in an attack that also injured his wife.

Roadside bomb attacks on two military patrols in Pattani also left four soldiers injured on Tuesday.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-04-03

[Mampara]

As I said before these people only understand one language and that is the language of the "Gun" ii is the only language that they know and respect. I don't understand why we are trying to talk with them in another language that they clearly don't understand.

[TomTao]

Cowards, yellow bellied, lily livered cowards, the marines did thier job by repelling the insurgents, in response a group abduct and murder a marine in cold blood.

[mamypoko]

R.I.P. Semper Fi!

[simple1]

In the BKK Post it said that Thai intelligence were aware that the insurgents suspected the private (apparently ex member of an insurgency group). It is alleged he had warned the Marines of the impending attack on the base by the insurgents. He was murdered whilst on leave visiting his wife and family in the deep South.

The question comes to mind on why the Thai authorities, when they have information to hand, are not protecting informers. You have to assume that in effect informers are being sacrificed to protect intelligence gathering operational procedures.

[Lite Beer]

Killers of marine may have made the Bacho assault in Febuary
By English News

NARATHIWAT, April 3 -- Police found key evidence indicating that insurgents who abducted and killed a marine private may have been the same group which attacked the victim's marine outpost in Narathiwat in February.

Deputy Narathiwat police commander Pol Col Kritsada Kaewchandee led an investigation team this morning to collect evidence where the body of Pvt Ma-ila Tohlu, 24, was discovered last night.

The slain private was from Ban Yuelo marine base, the unit that killed 16 insurgents when they made a frontal assault on a marine outpost in Bacho district in February. He was abducted from his home in Rueso district on Monday by eight armed men dressed in military-style uniforms who arrived in a pickup truck.

Police found some white cables which were used to bind his arms and legs. Initial investigation suggested that the private was abducted and killed without any signs of fight or resistance.

They believe the abductors might have been the same group of those who attacked the marine outpost Feb 13 as similar cable was also found among the bodies of 16 insurgents killed by the marines that day. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-04-03

[redroo]

nothing new,

and very sad stuff.

[bulmercke]

I hope he wasn't beaten and/or tortured before being shot dead.

[chainarong]

I find it extremly difficult to like or trust anything about these sons of pigs.

[Katipo]

So let's get this straight: They launched an offensive attack that failed. So this brave group take revenge for failing by finding a solitary marine and executing him? Disgusting cowards.

[BKS22]

Read this full story in the BKK Post this morning. It's gut wrenching and scary. I feel bad for a Marine that possibly had thoughts of joining the insurgency, but seems to have had second thoughts and alerted his command post to an imminent attack. He paid for it with his life. Sounds like his Brother In Law who was home at the time of the attack is lucky to have not been taken as well.

[simple1]

Read this full story in the BKK Post this morning. It's gut wrenching and scary. I feel bad for a Marine that possibly had thoughts of joining the insurgency, but seems to have had second thoughts and alerted his command post to an imminent attack. He paid for it with his life. Sounds like his Brother In Law who was home at the time of the attack is lucky to have not been taken as well.

A correction, the BKK Post front page article says the victim was allegedly an ex member of the insurgency & was a member of the Marine unit at the base that was attacked & killed 16 insurgents. It is alleged he had tipped off the Marines that the base was to be attacked.

Edited April 3, 2013 by simple1

[Bluespunk]

chicken shit cowardly scum

[kap]

I think that the "freedom fighters" are being slandered...next you'll be saying that they're capable of targeting for assassination a 14 year old simply for advocating education for girls or health workers trying to inoculate little children from life threatening diseases...what bias!