F B I Terrorism Ranking ' A Misunderstanding'

[Lite Beer]

FBI terrorism ranking 'a misunderstanding'

BANGKOK: -- A ranking by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation that placed Thailand as the No 1 most likely country in Asia and fifth in the world to be hit by terrorist attack was the result of "a misunderstanding". A military attache with the US Embassy has apologised over the issue, Army commander General Prayuth Chanocha said Thursday.

The Army chief said he sent word to a FBI-hosted meeting on the issue in Brunei, seeking clarification about the ranking. A military staffer from the US Embassy in Thailand who was present at the session explained that it was "a misunderstanding" and apologised.

"There will be further discussions over the FBI listing and the security issues related to the insurgency in the South between Thai and US authorities," Prayuth said.

Prayuth explained that the criteria used for the FBI ranking might not be taking into account the uniqueness of the situation in the South. Although the number of casualties is large and the incidences of violence have been frequent over the past nine years of the insurgency, the attacks have been limited to a specific region and have never widened, Prayuth said.

-- The Nation 2013-04-04

[candypants]

this is rich, years of bombing and vast losses of life, but those don't count.

Civil war? what civil war?

[Jingthing]

They're not upset with the reality but upset with the image. Could hurt tourism!

Edited April 4, 2013 by Jingthing

[ZhouZhou]

must be nonsense was my first thought when i heard about that terror number 1 rating.

so it was all a misunderstood.

Thanks for clarifying and also good that the US Embassy apologized for it.

looks like they aren't that bad at all as some poster said it in the other topic.

[Credo]

If Thailand wishes for the Southern insurgency to not be considered, then perhaps they should give them independence and they won't be a part of Thailand. You simply don't get it both ways.

[siampolee]

Impossible for terrorism to be thriving here in Thailand.Chalerm has said it's all down to business conflicts these little outbursts in the South of Thailand.

[Songhua]

Huh? I've read the OP three times and I still don't understand how it could have been a misunderstanding. It was said at the meeting or it wasn't. If it was said, it was meant or it wasn't.

[reiltin]

Wasn't it Chalerm who stated last Christmas that there were no terrorists in Thailand apart from RPG wielding guys in black in Bangkoks CBD and Southern separatists-he forgot to name the cop killing terrorist Duangchalerm aka"The Bang Bon Kid" or was that just another misunderstanding .....

[gl555]

To be fair, the situation IS unique. After all, how many of us not living in the South are actually affected by the insurgency there? The closest we get to it is reading it in the news. No crazy Muslim separatist has tried killing us in Bangkok yet.

[Commander Tamson]

To be fair, the situation IS unique. After all, how many of us not living in the South are actually affected by the insurgency there? The closest we get to it is reading it in the news. No crazy Muslim separatist has tried killing us in Bangkok yet.

I agree, but how long will it be before some crazy Muslim terrorist starts targeting the likes of Bangkok, because no one is caring too much about the crazy Muslim terrorists in the South except those living in the South.

[Phuket Stan]

To be fair, the situation IS unique. After all, how many of us not living in the South are actually affected by the insurgency there? The closest we get to it is reading it in the news. No crazy Muslim separatist has tried killing us in Bangkok yet.

Maybe its just a matter of time

[metisdead]

Posts bashing nationalities and religions have been removed.

[Commander Tamson]

I'm all for the forum rules against [too much] religion & nationality bashing, but let's do a wee count on who the World's most numerous terrorists are. Anybody care to take a wild guess.

[Nisa]

this is rich, years of bombing and vast losses of life, but those don't count.

Civil war? what civil war?

While I question if the rating was a misunderstanding, except by those reading the report, it is obviously highly misleading to anyone unaware that these acts of violence are limited to a very small area of Thailand which outsiders typically don't go. It would be like ranking the US the most dangerous and likely place to be killed by terrorists because 3,000 people were killed in 2001 on one day. While it may be true, it is highly misleading.

[surangw]

isn't the problems in the south the result of a "misunderstanding" ?

[grantbkk]

As I said yesterday, BS. DSI and the minister with the ear infection want and need more $$$$ to operate their fiefdoms.

[soi41]

So maybe the airportranking was a 'misunderstanding" too ?

[Nisa]

<snip - possibly against forum rules> let's do a wee count on who the World's most numerous terrorists are. Anybody care to take a wild guess.

It would depend on whose doing the labeling. Just because somebody is called a freedom fighter by one side doesn't mean they aren't terrorists on the other. I don't think it really matters to the victims and their families if the terrorists are in uniform or part of an army dropping bombs on cities full of civilians, commercial building and infrastructure because those doing the bombing say they felt threatened even though any threat is completely baseless or based on lies. Also not sure it matters to people being kidnapped, tortured and held against their will without charges if it matters if the people who are doing it are part of a currently recognized government or not. It seems many people and history simply define terrorism to be those who are on the other side or the losers in a war. If the American Revolution had failed they would have been labeled terrorist as would the French Resistance fighters during WWII if Germany had one the war.

Labeling a group as Terrorists does little more than try to make the population see them as evil comic book villains whose only motivation is to cause harm and destruction. Calling people terrorists makes people not question why they would be so motivated to give up their own life. Not at all condoning such actions by any side but it is just ignorant to say those who gave up their life on 9/11 while killing 3000 people are cowards who simply hated freedom and then call the folks who killed over 100,000 civilians (mainly by bombing them from a safe distance) heroes and freedom fighters makes little sense in my mind.

You cannot reward terrorism but to close your eyes as to the real reasons these people (on either side) feel the need to take such horrific actions is to ensure it will not only continue but will get worse. Most people are simply content to believe the reason for terrorist attacks are because there are terrorists and this is what terrorist do ... kind of like a villain in a comic book.

Edited April 4, 2013 by Nisa

[bigbamboo]

They're not upset with the reality but upset with the image. Could hurt tourism!

"Thailand got the needle but the damage is done."

[ronz28]

There are insignificant terrorists' threats coming from Thailand and the killings in the south are regrettable but no more than parts of other countries so there is no basis for saying they are number one on the list. FBI should know that currently North Korea it the number one terrorist with its leader making daily nuclear bomb threats against millions of people living in South Korea, Hawaii, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Austin, Seattle, Japan, etc. Whoever in the FBI put Thailand on the top of such a list and then presented it in public should be fired, or demoted to a position of irresponsibility commensurate with his/her error rate.

[rubl]

Terribly sorry, an administrative (typing) error, an honest mistake, a SNAFU as we military men like to call this. Also somehow the message got out without proper and prior approval of the local expert Dept. PM Pol. Captain Chalerm.

Please rest assured that all is well and can only improve more

[ZhouZhou]

terrorists don't apologize for misunderstandings.

[DiamondKing]

To be fair, the situation IS unique. After all, how many of us not living in the South are actually affected by the insurgency there? The closest we get to it is reading it in the news. No crazy Muslim separatist has tried killing us in Bangkok yet.

You have a short memory mate, what about that Muslim dik that blew his own legs off that was meant as an attack just lucky be blew himself up instead

[Nisa]

To be fair, the situation IS unique. After all, how many of us not living in the South are actually affected by the insurgency there? The closest we get to it is reading it in the news. No crazy Muslim separatist has tried killing us in Bangkok yet.

You have a short memory mate, what about that Muslim dik that blew his own legs off that was meant as an attack just lucky be blew himself up instead

Your memory seems a bit off as that had absolutely nothing to do with fighting in the south nor did it have to do with religion but was Iranians trying to get back at Israel. They planned to put bombs on Israeli diplomat cars as revenge for Israel killing Iranian scientists in the same way... though I suspect many believe only one of these groups is acting in a terrorist fashion as for which it depends on what side you're on.

[NeverSure]

To be fair, the situation IS unique. After all, how many of us not living in the South are actually affected by the insurgency there? The closest we get to it is reading it in the news. No crazy Muslim separatist has tried killing us in Bangkok yet.

You have a short memory mate, what about that Muslim dik that blew his own legs off that was meant as an attack just lucky be blew himself up instead

Your memory seems a bit off as that had absolutely nothing to do with fighting in the south nor did it have to do with religion but was Iranians trying to get back at Israel. They planned to put bombs on Israeli diplomat cars as revenge for Israel killing Iranian scientists in the same way... though I suspect many believe only one of these groups is acting in a terrorist fashion as for which it depends on what side you're on.

How exactly, please, is that not Islamic terrorism? How, exactly does that not put innocents at risk?

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and replies have been removed. Go back and read the OP.

[webfact]

UPDATE

TERRORISM
FBI's ranking for Thailand 'a misunderstanding'
THE NATION


Prayuth Chan-ocha

BANGKOK: -- A ranking by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation that placed Thailand as the No 1 most likely country in Asia and fifth in the world to be hit by terrorist attack was the result of "a misunderstanding".

A military attache with the US Embassy has apologised over the issue, Army commander General Prayuth Chan-ocha said yesterday.

The Army chief said he sent word to a FBI-hosted meeting on the issue in Brunei, seeking clarification about the ranking. A military staffer from the US Embassy in Thailand who was present at the session explained that it was "a misunderstanding" and apologised.

"There will be further discussions over the FBI listing and the security issues related to the insurgency in the South between Thai and US authorities," Prayuth said.

Prayuth explained that the criteria used for the FBI ranking might not be taking into account the uniqueness of the situation in the South.

Although the number of casualties is large and the incidence of violence has been frequent over the past nine years of the insurgency, the attacks have been limited to a specific region and have never widened, Prayuth said. He called for the FBI ranking to be corrected and a revised listing be announced. Prayuth also called on the Thai media to further pursue the matter and publicise the revised FBI ranking.

AMLO TO RELEASE LIST OF SUSPECTS

Meanwhile, the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) announced yesterday that after the Songkran holiday break it would make public a list of 300 people suspected of links to, or of giving logistical or financial support to terrorists.

The announcement is in compliance with an international standard based on United Nations regulations, said AMLO secretary-general Seehanart Prayoonrat, adding that most of the names on the list are linked to the southern insurgency.

Also, an ad-hoc civilian-supervised operation centre for counter-terrorism measures would be soon set up, said Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung. He gave no further details about the centre.

Chalerm also defended Department of Special Investigation director-general Tharit Phengdit, who disclosed the FBI terrorism ranking after meeting on Wednesday at the US Embassy with FBI legal attache Daniel P Powers.


-- The Nation 2013-04-05

[NeverSure]

<snip - possibly against forum rules> let's do a wee count on who the World's most numerous terrorists are. Anybody care to take a wild guess.

It would depend on whose doing the labeling. Just because somebody is called a freedom fighter by one side doesn't mean they aren't terrorists on the other. I don't think it really matters to the victims and their families if the terrorists are in uniform or part of an army dropping bombs on cities full of civilians, commercial building and infrastructure because those doing the bombing say they felt threatened even though any threat is completely baseless or based on lies. Also not sure it matters to people being kidnapped, tortured and held against their will without charges if it matters if the people who are doing it are part of a currently recognized government or not. It seems many people and history simply define terrorism to be those who are on the other side or the losers in a war. If the American Revolution had failed they would have been labeled terrorist as would the French Resistance fighters during WWII if Germany had one the war.

Labeling a group as Terrorists does little more than try to make the population see them as evil comic book villains whose only motivation is to cause harm and destruction. Calling people terrorists makes people not question why they would be so motivated to give up their own life. Not at all condoning such actions by any side but it is just ignorant to say those who gave up their life on 9/11 while killing 3000 people are cowards who simply hated freedom and then call the folks who killed over 100,000 civilians (mainly by bombing them from a safe distance) heroes and freedom fighters makes little sense in my mind.

You cannot reward terrorism but to close your eyes as to the real reasons these people (on either side) feel the need to take such horrific actions is to ensure it will not only continue but will get worse. Most people are simply content to believe the reason for terrorist attacks are because there are terrorists and this is what terrorist do ... kind of like a villain in a comic book.

So, if someone keeps pizzing me off, he can expect that I will strap a bomb to myself and set it off in a crowded bus of innocents and that his fault?

If I don't like the government, I can set out IED's which will kill whoever is unlucky enough to step on it or drive over it?

We should just understand these people? It's someone else's fault? Someone made them do it?

I think we should round up every one of them, lock them up long enough that we can waterboard them into telling us who their cohorts are, and then string every one of them up in the public square.

They claim to have a religious reason for wanting all "infidels" dead. They claim to have a right to live in a country but disobey that country's laws and live by their own laws. Look at England and the demands for their own courts.

They are nothing but common criminals who have attacked virtually every country including their own, caring nothing about innocents.

And BTW, you like to rant about "others," but you never explain why they have killed more than 5,000 people and severely wounded more than another 11,000 since 2004 in Thailand.

You like to go off topic and talk about "other" countries and their actions with your spiteful bitterness, but let's keep it about Thailand and why they would do it to Thais.

If they will do it to Thais, they will do it to you.

[PoodMaiDai]

If you tell the same lies long enough, they become the truth.

Pretty sure that is in the Thainess 101 handbook somewhere.

[Payboy]

Prayuth explained that the criteria used for the FBI ranking might not be taking into account the uniqueness of the situation in the South.

Yeah, all those daily incidents are just blown-up by the media.