Army rebuttals on six deaths at Wat Pathum
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The Army has issued a three-point statement aimed at rebutting a witness statement at the judicial inquest on the six deaths at Wat Pathum.
The six were shot dead in connection with the crowd control operations on May 19, 2010 in the wake of the Ratchaprasong rallies involving the red shirts.
The Army statement said although forensic checks found the six were shot with .223 bullets used in M-16 and Trevor assault rifles, which were standard issue in the military service, riot forces had reported three incidents, on April 10, 13 and 15, about 62 stolen assault rifles and almost 2,000 rounds of ammunition.
In regard to the witness testimony about the absence of crossfire between the forces and the men in black around the elevated rail track, the on-the-scene report made clear reference to gun attacks from the ground to where the forces were deployed on the elevated track.
The traces of bullet shot from the ground level hitting the first pillar of the track, counting from the Chalerm Phao Junction to Wat Pathum, still remain in evidence.
The Army had forces deployed on the elevated track but did not fully occupy the track as alleged because of gun attacks aimed at disrupting such deployment.
The judicial inquest on the six deaths continues after hearing the first prosecution witness on Monday.
