Grenade Lobbed Into Chiang Mai Mosque

[Jai Dee]

Grenade lobbed into Chiang Mai mosque

A grenade was lobbed into a mosque in Chiang Mai, injuring four people, iTV reported.

The attack happened in the morning.

Source: The Nation - 1 January 2006

[cdnvic]

This ain't over by a longshot. Hope nobody was killed.

[taxexile]

could either be a 'revenge' attack by a lone deluded madman , or the continuation of the supposed destabilisation process started last night by unknown elements sympathetic to the previous government.

either way it is very disturbing.

the authorities here have neither the skill nor experience to deal with a lengthy bombing campaign.

[BlackArtemis]

So I am guessing it was a "###### them muslims, lets get them back" and then attack some people totally disconected with the attacks. Now causing reaction from those of muslim faith who DO retaliate. Yay a volley of attacks for New Years.

[PeaceBlondie]

I've moved our speculative comments over to the existing thread in the general forum and renamed it "Bombings in Bangkok and Chiang Mai."

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...99234&st=15

Please leave this thread open primarily for direct news reports of the Chiang Mai bombing. Thanks.

[astral]

I am puzzled the bombings are not making international headlines, but rather buried behind numerous other mundane stories.

It was Number One on the BBC news this morning.

[SeanBangkok]

why dont you guys post the link to the article, or are you scared that you will lose traffic?

[PeaceBlondie]

It was just linked on anothe thread, and it's the briefest news item I've ever seen. The opening post here says the same.

We're not afraid to lose views; we link to Nation and Bangkok Post routinely. Please, no comments about moderation.

[cdnvic]

why dont you guys post the link to the article, or are you scared that you will lose traffic?

You found Thaivisa but you can't find the BBC?

[Jai Dee]

The construction of the CM explosive device was different to that used in the BKK bombings.

See this bulletin.

[Jai Dee]

Bomb exploded at mosque in Chiang Mai

Today (January, 1) in the morning, a bomb went off at the Chang Klan (ช้างคลาน) Mosque in Chiang Mai. Witnesses have reported that they saw two male teenagers riding a motorcycle passing the mosque and throwing a bomb into the building.

The bomb has injured a Burmese, who looks after the mosque, at his foot and torso. He was dispatched to the Central Memorial Hospital. The commander of the Provincial Police Region 5, Pol.Gen.Kittithat Ruenthip (กิตติทัศน์ เรือนทิพ) later inspected the scene and assured that the police will find the bombers and take legal actions against them.

Meanwhile, the Chiang Mai governor said that he had instructed security officials to closely monitor important places as well as tourist sites as a lot of tourists have visited the province during the New Year holidays. All checkpoints in the province operate around the clock.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 01 January 2007

[popshirt]

Great map of bomb sites on the BBC site

[Who, me ?]

Great map of bomb sites on the BBC site

Stunning....I can't believe they do something like that !

[Jai Dee]

Crime scene investigators examine a mosque in Chiang Mai's Muang district after a grenade was lobbed into it on Monday. The explosive went off, injuring a caretaker of the mosque.

Source: The Nation - 1 January 2007

[Maestro]

The two most widely read German-language newspapers in Switzerland carried lengthy stories about the Bangkok bombings, and it was the first item in the main news edition at 8 pm.

No need to click on these links unless you read German.

Blick

NZZ

Swiss Television

--

Maestro

[lopburi3]

This Chiang Mai report is now suspect as officials seem to believe the caretaker was the one with the grenade and that it went off by accident.

[astral]

That is even more scary........................

[Mel Brooks]

...if it were believable

[PeaceBlondie]

...and the caretaker drove around the neighborhood for a long time, circling the police, and was a secret lieutenant in the.....nah, they've already used that explanation.

[StefanH]

The two most widely read German-language newspapers in Switzerland carried lengthy stories about the Bangkok bombings, and it was the first item in the main news edition at 8 pm.

No need to click on these links unless you read German.

Blick

NZZ

Swiss Television

--

Maestro

Interesting point of view.... whole of Europe cares about your "blick" and "nzz".

Self-sufficient bunch of gnomes you are...

[drummer]

Great map of bomb sites on the BBC site

Stunning....I can't believe they do something like that !

something like the map?

[cdnvic]

I think he meant the bombs, although it was a pretty good map.

[drummer]

I was joking.

[cdnvic]

I was joking.

as was I

[Foggy Bottom]

This Chiang Mai report is now suspect as officials seem to believe the caretaker was the one with the grenade and that it went off by accident.

Nahhh .... roll back half a decade .....

When Welsh backpacker Kirty Jones was raped and strangled in Chiangmai, all the guests and staff at the guest house were pointing the finger at a certain tourist police Sgt Major - he was trasferred to another province within days and not included in the widespread DNA testing.

Similar situations have occurred across the years in Chiangmai (moving of police fingered by foreigners and the police pointing the finger at suspects previously unknown to the scenario)

In this case, eye-witnesses say two men on motorbike threw a grenade into the mosque - eye witness reports are now being discounted (by the police), hushed up and buried even, and the injured caretaker is now being accused of effectively trying to be a "suicide bomber" in his own mosque (even in Baghdad that would be far fetched) - hmmm? ..... where does that now make "outsiders" want to point the finger? Yup, at the people making the official accusations - it's all too transparent when you stand on the outside looking in.

If it looks like BS, smells like BS ....... etc.

Random thought - Chiangmai is surrounded by military barracks and depots - infantry, artillery, mechanised cavalry, air force etc - probably around 10,000 personnel within 10Km of the city centre with access to hand grenades. Not to mention all the police and para-military police units such as border rangers and so on. Wonder how many of them got fired up on lao-khao and mis-inforced, snap-judgement angst against the Bangkok bombings, throughout the New Year night?

The telling facts are that the "terrorist" bombings occurred only in Bangkok, the Chiangmai one was obviously some form of retaliatory attack, and the UXB in Ubon may or may not have been real.

However ....... Until someone claims responsibility for all of them, I suggest we examine only the known facts.

[PeaceBlondie]

Similar situations have occurred across the years in Chiangmai (moving of police fingered by foreigners and the police pointing the finger at suspects previously unknown to the scenario)

In this case, eye-witnesses say two men on motorbike threw a grenade into the mosque - eye witness reports are now being discounted (by the police), hushed up and buried even, and the injured caretaker is now being accused of effectively trying to be a "suicide bomber" in his own mosque (even in Baghdad that would be far fetched) - hmmm? ..... where does that now make "outsiders" want to point the finger? Yup, at the people making the official accusations - it's all too transparent when you stand on the outside looking in.

If it looks like BS, smells like BS ....... etc.

Random thought - Chiangmai is surrounded by military barracks and depots - infantry, artillery, mechanised cavalry, air force etc - probably around 10,000 personnel within 10Km of the city centre with access to hand grenades. Not to mention all the police and para-military police units such as border rangers and so on. Wonder how many of them got fired up on lao-khao and mis-inforced, snap-judgement angst against the Bangkok bombings, throughout the New Year night?

The telling facts are that the "terrorist" bombings occurred only in Bangkok, the Chiangmai one was obviously some form of retaliatory attack, and the UXB in Ubon may or may not have been real.

However ....... Until someone claims responsibility for all of them, I suggest we examine only the known facts.

Aw shucks, Gaz, that would take all the fun out of it. The known facts, you suggest? Are any facts known?If we limit our remarks only to the known facts, we'd all be deaf mutes.

[Canadianvisitor]

Sounds to me like they just want to wrap this up fast, accuse the nearest scapegoat and tell the people to just forget it happened. Case closed, no need for an investigation.

[wolf5370]

He was a Burmese and a Muslim (presumeably) - not quite the best attributes by which to garner real interest from the Thai police (me thinks) - why prosecute two nice up and standing young Thai men who, in a moment of anguish over the attack on thier contry, as they saw it, made an understandable miss-judgment. Its not like anyone was killed and the injured party was probably illegal anyway.

This is not my thoughts of course, but from a Thai view, its not difficult to see how the story could have changed.

Its why there are so many suicides that managed to shoot themselves in the back of the head and then hide the gun!

[Jai Dee]

Victim 'carried mosque bomb'

The bomb that exploded at a mosque in Chiang Mai on Monday was carried by the victim, the commissioner of Chiang Mai provincial police said yesterday.

Maj-General Bandop Sukonthaman alleged that Nasis Ahamad, a Burmese worker injured by the blast at Chang Klan mosque, confessed to carrying the small home-made bomb to the mosque then accidentally dropping it on the floor, causing it to explode.

However, he said police had yet to charge Nasis, who is still in hospital, with any offence.

Bandop said police still had to investigate Nasis' motive for carrying the bomb into a sacred place. Villagers living close to the mosque, however, did not accept the explanation.

Bandop said he had reported his findings to community leaders, but the people said they did not believe a Muslim would bring a bomb into a mosque.

Source: The Nation - 3 January 2007

[Jai Dee]

Chiang Mai police determine bombing at mosque part of teenage feud

Authorities report that the recent explosion at Changklan (ช้างคลาน) Mosque in Chiang Mai province has been determined to be caused by a homemade bomb used during in a feud between local teenagers.

The deputy commander of the Chiang Mai provincial police, Pol Col Montri Sampunnanon (มนตรี สัมปุนณานนท), and investigators led the groundskeeper of the Changklan (ช้างคลาน) Mosque in the crime reenactment of the recent mosque bombing. Police and military specialists have determined that the bomb was placed inside the mosque and questioning revealed that the groundskeeping had found the bomb and accidentally dropped it, causing it to explode, and injuring him in the process. The groundskeeper admitted that he concocted the story of unknown individuals planting the bomb.

Police believe that the bomb originated from a teenage feud, and failed to detonate when it was thrown. Pol Col Montri said police are attempting to make local residents understand that the bombing had nothing to do with the nation's political crisis and that Chiang Mai continues to be a safe and peaceful province for Muslims and Buddhists.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 03 January 2007