Syrian trio not linked to Islamic State, say Thai police

[webfact]

ISLAMIC STATE
Syrian trio not linked to Islamic State, say police
THE NATION


Tourist Police commander Pol |Maj-General Surachet Hakphan shakes hands with a tourist on the walking street

BANGKOK: -- POLICE yesterday questioned three Syrians in the presence of Russian Ambassador Kirill Barsky and found they have no connection to Islamic State.

There are fears IS jihadists have entered Thailand and plan to attack Russians or Russian interests.

Acting Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lt-General Sanit Mahatavorn named the trio as Nawfal Hassoun, 34, Abdul Aziz Arouk, 44, and Mouayad Hayai, 29.

The questioning followed a Russian intelligence agency warning that 10 Syrians may have entered Thailand in October to attack Russians or the country's interests in retaliation for Russia's air strikes on IS strongholds in Syria.

Hassoun and Hayai reported to police after their names were published in the media.

Sanit said Hassoun had a Thai wife and had run an Italian restaurant in Udon Thani province before he closed it with the plan of opening an Italian restaurant in Bangkok.

His wife persuaded him to report to police to show his innocence.

The general quoted Ambassador Barsky as saying the three had no involvement with IS.

However Arouk, a singer, will face legal action as his visa had expired.

Sanit called on the media not to overreact to the warning from Russia and for the public to not panic as police are doing their best to safeguard people and assets.

In a related development, a Thai woman, Patcharin Piromkit, told reporters in Chaiyaphum province that she had been married to Syrian Hagop Kassanbian, 57, for 10 years and they had three sons.

She was shocked her husband's name had popped up in the media over his possible link to IS.

Her husband's visa is valid and he will meet the police to prove his innocence, she said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Syrian-trio-not-linked-to-Islamic-State-say-police-30274435.html


-- The Nation 2015-12-07

[Seastallion]

Keystone Kops.

Russian intel says ISIS sent 10 men.

No, the leaked document may be fake.

No, the leaked document is real.

No, there are no ISIS in Thailand.

Yes, there are ISIS in Thailand.

Oh, no, they're just Syrians who have been here for 10 years.

It's looking more and more likely that my hunch might be close to the mark: ie that Russian Intel did indeed inform of some Syrians, a benign and mundane regular of-no-interest report. Some bright spark in the police, wanting to show his worldliness as he had watched the news a few weeks ago, joined a whole lot of imaginary dots, put two and two together to make seven, and produced the memo, which was real in the sense that a cop wrote it, but BS in it's content.

The memo writer was scolded by his boss for producing hyped up nonsense, and could not suffer loss of face, so he convinced himself that his hunch (written as fact) was correct, so leaked the memo.

A whole lot of kerfuffel, ensues, culminating in the cops searching data bases for Syrians, and finding 3, who had nothing to do with the initial Russian report....and here we are today.

But that's just a hunch.

[apetley]

Questioning Syrians with the Russian Ambassador sitting in?

Not an everyday event I'd wager.

[MaiChai]

Tip: avoid obvious tourist hotspots where someone could set off a bomb. No police are infallible thus look after your own personal safety.

[davetrout]

Tip: avoid obvious tourist hotspots where someone could set off a bomb. No police are infallible thus look after your own personal safety.

maybe just the russian hot spots

[Aussieroaming]

Where is Benny Hill when we need him

[gchurch259]

You do not have be Syrian to be part if ISIS, I bet there are some Thailand Muslim's who are affiliated with ISIS, what about all the other countries, even U.S. Citizens are affiliated with them.

We are entering a World War with ISIS/ISIL !! So, be careful !!

[arrowsdawdle]

They got the caption wrong for the OP photo, here is the correction....

"Yes, you heard me right," the officer said, "drop your drawers and provide me a urine sample right here or go to jail."

[arrowsdawdle]

You do not have be Syrian to be part if ISIS, I bet there are some Thailand Muslim's who are affiliated with ISIS, what about all the other countries, even U.S. Citizens are affiliated with them.

We are entering a World War with ISIS/ISIL !! So, be careful !!

All depends on who is asking. When westerners ask, muslims shake their heads to confirm what the westerner wants to hear, e.g., when in Rome and all that. When a radical mullah asks, they lower their eyes and declare allegiance to the jihad.

[recycler]

Did they pose under the "SUKCERS" sign again?

[klauskunkel]

police are doing their best to safeguard people and assets.

the Bib safeguarding assets..., and doing their best doing it..., big sigh.

[biplanebluey]

Did they pose under the "SUKCERS" sign again?

No----- it would appear (see background) that they did not want to stray too far from the safety of their office

[swifty5x5]

Why are they looking for Syrian's? ISIL can come from anywhere.

[outsider]

Why are they looking for Syrian's? ISIL can come from anywhere.

Because they are dim-witted.

[almodeller]

Will they be able to find 70 virgins in Pattaya?

[diehard60]

of course they are not connected to ISIS. You don't believe them? Just ask them. They will tell you.

[IamNoone88]

I imagine a large team of sweeper uppers, cleaners, hoarding specialists and painters have already been assembled to restored normality with lightning speed in the case of an incident. These will be followed by a team of CCTV engineers to fix the cameras that failed or captured very little. Its not a question of if but more likely when. I really hope I am wrong.

[Nomyai]

Tip: avoid obvious tourist hotspots where someone could set off a bomb. No police are infallible thus look after your own personal safety.

what good is thailand wo tourist hotspots?

[asdecas]

Questioning Syrians with the Russian Ambassador sitting in?

Not an everyday event I'd wager.

No finger-pointing either. Most suspicious...

[Brer Fox]

In a press release on 5th December Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda of the RTP assured everyone that no Islamic State militants had been found in Thailand. So there you have it; no worries folks you can always trust that the RTP know what they are talking about. Settle down and relax and mix freely with your Russian comrades and enjoy the Yuletide season in the knowledge that the RTP are watching over you and protecting you.

[torpedo1970]

"Sanit called on the media not to overreact to the warning from Russia and for the public to not panic as police are doing their best to safeguard people and assets."

[hobobo]

Will they be able to find 70 virgins in Pattaya?

Check all the maternity hospitals in Pattaya and they might just be lucky???

[Whyamiandwhatamidoinghere]

Terror is Terror whether it is isis or another radical group.Terror will always be used by people who think they can utilize fear and horror to get their way. Live your life, be vilgilant and not let this evil prevail is all we individually and collectively do. Live in fear is not acceptable.

[joebrown]

The Tourist Police Commander (and bodyguards) is shaking hands with someone ALREADY on Walking Street who is either totally unaware of the terrorist threat fiasco or is aware and is prepared to disregard it.

If Thailand wants to reassure tourists about their safety the Police could start by engaging a professional spokesperson to provide a single focussed point of information instead of the usual 'mish-mash' of contradictions. Such skewed information does not reassure potential tourists, in fact it's a concern.

BTW, if Walking Street is such a safe tourist destination why do the police have to patrol in such numbers? Um, I forgot this isn't a regular police patrol, it's a pubicity 'photo stunt!

[The Deerhunter]

While it is on the one hand laudable that BIB are trying to look for suspicious overstayers, unfortunately it turned out to be just another "Open mouth before engaging brain" jobbie!!! This habit seems copyrighted to politicians and certain types of officialdom. As some posters last night explained, googling their names apparently brings up facebook pages and even a picture of the son of one of them in front of his school name sign. Is basic police work really that simple nowadays?? Just looking the crims up on Facebook has netted people overseas bragging about burglaries and burglary victims searching and finding their stolen property on eBay and similar sites. We just spent several days sharing the contents of facebook pages of Australian ex-gang murderers and murderees on TVF. Goes to prove that the BIB are NOT reading Thai Visa. Oh, hang on...... It is Social media, what's that?

Of course, "Thai criminals are too smart and would never do that." It only works for stupid Falangs.

Maybe one of the BIB should get his 10 year old daughter or a mia noi to show them how social media works.

Oh well, unfortunately another typical day in the LOS, the Asian hub of "not doing the basics." They say you can't make this stuff up.

[Traveller45]

Keystone Kops.

Russian intel says ISIS sent 10 men.

No, the leaked document may be fake.

No, the leaked document is real.

No, there are no ISIS in Thailand.

Yes, there are ISIS in Thailand.

Oh, no, they're just Syrians who have been here for 10 years.

It's looking more and more likely that my hunch might be close to the mark: ie that Russian Intel did indeed inform of some Syrians, a benign and mundane regular of-no-interest report. Some bright spark in the police, wanting to show his worldliness as he had watched the news a few weeks ago, joined a whole lot of imaginary dots, put two and two together to make seven, and produced the memo, which was real in the sense that a cop wrote it, but BS in it's content.

The memo writer was scolded by his boss for producing hyped up nonsense, and could not suffer loss of face, so he convinced himself that his hunch (written as fact) was correct, so leaked the memo.

A whole lot of kerfuffel, ensues, culminating in the cops searching data bases for Syrians, and finding 3, who had nothing to do with the initial Russian report....and here we are today.

But that's just a hunch.

Kerfuffel is good.

I like that word.

We are sitting in the proverbial glasshouse.

Police were not able to stop the Paris attacks although these guys had been known for some time.

This is a new threat, and it will take time to adjust

[NickJ]

Well.....Just to be on the safe side Immigration should frown more and create more hoops for extensions of stay. More paperwork and 15 day reporting instead of 90..............

[sawadee1947]

now I'm relieved......if the Thai Police said so.......

[rauff61]

I thought the Syrians are the victims, the CIA and MOSSAD and British Intelligence service are the ones who created ISIS and they are the ones who terrorise other Nations, destroy countries, steal their wealth, kill innocent people of those countries on pretext they want to bring democracy, where is democracy in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, they just kill their leaders and steal their gold and oil, so who are the real terrorists, I don't think they are Syrians, those ISIS and the other criminal gangs are in Syria killing people and destroying their country, I can't believe the West are so evil.

[bangon04]

Well.....Just to be on the safe side Immigration should frown more and create more hoops for extensions of stay. More paperwork and 15 day reporting instead of 90..............

Absolutely right, because we all know that potential terrorists are meticulous in their reporting to immigration offices, and no terrorist would ever bribe a border officer and sneak into the country without filling in every possible report and providing 20 photocopies of his grandmother's driving licence......

Still it makes sense to harass every vaguely arab-looking man at the immigration line at the airport, holding up the lines while the officers hold a conference and short interrogation.

Personally I advise every arab visitor to put on a turban, then they will be ignored by the police.