BRN provided new data on imam killing:NSC
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Paradon won't elaborate; says two new groups want to join peace dialogue
THE AUTHORITIES have received some information from the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) group in relation to the killing of a prominent imam in Pattani on Monday, but no details have been made available.
General Paradorn Pattanatabutr, secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC), confirmed this yesterday but refused to elaborate. “Questions have been asked and some answers have arrived, but I can’t disclose the information,” he said.
BRN and Thai authorities have been engaged in peace negotiations, with the next round of talks scheduled to take place on August 18.
Imam Yakob Raimanee of the Central Masjid in Pattani, who openly worked with the Thai authorities, was gunned down on Monday. This assassination took place even though BRN had promised a truce during the month of Ramadan.
Paradorn has dismissed suggestions that the imam’s killing showed that the peace dialogue has been a failure.
“The imam was targeted earlier, two years ago,” he said, pointing out that the peace dialogue had only begun this year.
However, Paradorn acknowledged that after the imam’s death, people would become more reluctant to cooperate with the authorities’ efforts to end the turmoil in the deep South.
He said police were looking into Yakob’s killing in line with normal procedure, but the authorities would also ask BRN about the incident via Malaysia, which is the facilitator of the talks.
Paradorn said violence seemed to have intensified in the deep South during the latter part of Ramadan, adding that those who do not wish to see the peace dialogue go ahead were trying to disrupt it.
When asked if there were any other groups that wanted to become part of the peace dialogue, Paradorn said two other groups had come forward, but as of now the Thai authorities had decided that all contact would be made via BRN.
Meanwhile, the Scientific Crime Detection Division 10 Yala Centre said tests showed that the type of bullet and revolver used on Yakob matched the type used in several other security cases.
More than 7,000 people attended praying rites ahead of Yakob’s funeral late on Monday. He had commanded much love and respect in the local community.
Waedeuramae Mamingji, who chairs the Pattani Islamic Committee, said everybody was sad about what had happened. “But this will not affect religious leaders’ determination to promote the right principles and peace talks,” he said.
Waedeuramae said Yakob was usually given a security escort, but on Monday he decided to go to the market with his wife because he was familiar with the area and did not think he had any enemies.
Pattani Governor Pramuk Lamun said yesterday that security measures for religious leaders had to be intensified.
