Five insurgents handed long sentences for 2004 attacks
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The Supreme Court on Tuesday handed life sentences to three men and jail terms of 13 years and four months to two others after they were found guilty of terrorist acts in the deep South more than a decade ago.
The verdict of Bangkok’s Ratchadapisek Criminal Court reversed two previous rulings that had acquitted the five defendants on grounds of insufficient evidence.
The defendants were charged as members of Bersatu, which has acted under supervision of BRN Coordinate, an insurgency group responsible for a string of deadly attacks in the deep South. The men were arrested in connection with a deadly gun attack on a senior policeman in Pattani's Muang district on December 29, 2004.
Maarsi Bunphol, Mustopa Jehya and Ulai Sohpanae were initially handed life terms, but sentences for the latter two defendants were commuted to 33 years and four months because they confessed. Ilyas Manwang and Usman Pachee were found guilty of supporting terrorism and given 20year terms, reduced to 13 years and four months since they provided useful testimony.
The Supreme Court cited evidence produced by the public prosecutor indicating communication between the defendants for the attack, including cellphones and SIM cards found at the scene of a motorcyclebomb attack and the murder of the policeman.
Defence lawyer Kitja Aliissaho said he would consult with his team over the possibility of seeking pardons for the defendants.
