Unclaimed bodies may be foreigners

SOUTH THAILAND: -- Authorities are checking the nationality of seven unclaimed bodies from last Wednesday’s bloody clashes between security forces and insurgents in the deep South.

Fourth Army Region commander LtGeneral Pisarn Wattanawongkiri yesterday disclosed that he already submitted bloodtest results taken from the bodies as well as photos of the deceased to a foreign embassy in a bid to identify their nationality.

He did not, however, name the embassy.

“There is no evidence to indicate that they are Thais,” he said.

The shootouts killed 107 suspected militants in Songkhla, Pattani and Yala. Of them, only seven bodies went unclaimed.

Police General Noppadol Somboonsap, deputy chief of a panel in charge of investigating the carnage, refused to confirm a report that the unclaimed bodies were Indonesians.

“We are still investigating,” he said.

He said Pisarn had established a factfinding committee to establish whether the unclaimed bodies were Thais or foreigners.

Noppadol added that ongoing investigations indicated that the seven might be foreigners from neighbouring countries or members of influential families in Thailand.

“If they are locals, their relatives might have been too afraid to come forward. Their relatives might be worried that such an action may attract suspicion and legal action against them,” he said.

Noppadol also said his panel was now investigating whether security officers had used excessive violence against machetewielding insurgents who simultaneously carried out the predawn attacks on police outposts.

“We will ensure justice to both sides,” he said.

Noppadol said insurgents would face charges of murder, attempted murder, robbery, arson and illegal possession of weapons.

More than 100 insurgents are still at large, he said.

“We are investigating and will arrest the masterminds,” he said, adding that arrest warrants would be issued.

At an Army camp in Pattani yesterday, Buddhist monks and imams held prayer sessions in memory of those killed last Wednesday.

--The Nation 2004-05-05

Unclaimed bodies may be foreigners

Flush them with the rest of the sh1t!

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/page.news....3&usrsess=1

Cambodian Muslims seek promised land

Published on May 3, 2004

Almost 100 Cambodian Muslims arrived in Thailand yesterday, their trip arranged by religious clerics who allegedly spoke to one of them about an "Islamic State of Pattani".

though the link does not work anymore

It will be interesting where they say the foreigners are from, and where in the heirarchy they fit in.

is there any substance in the gents claim that half the pipeline will be owned by one one the taskins family (of) companies?

Jakarta Post of this morning( 05-05) mentioned a high probability of 7 unidentified coming from Indonesia .

(Although Arabs are still not yet 100% excluded.)

Wouldn't suprise me, having the muslem link as well as the laguage link.

Collateral damage

OK....were the unclaimed bodies not Thai????

AND, if there were five police and/or military deaths than I submit they were some of the most effective knife fighters I've seen...normally, a knife just doesn't cut it in a gun fight???