Gun used to shoot imam ‘used in 17 other attacks’
A BALLISTIC result shows the gun used in the June 26 murder of Imam Abdulloh Doh in Pattani’s Yaring district was used in 17 other cases, including the 2013 murder of Imam Yacob Raimanee of the Pattani Central Mosque, the Internal Security Operations Comm
The highly respected Imam Yacob was murdered on August 5, 2013 in Pattani’s Muang district.
The front command’s deputy spokesman, Colonel Yutthanam Phetmuang, yesterday said the Yala-based Police Forensic Science Centre found the .38 revolver was also used in the September 10, 2012 shooting of Pol Sub-Lieutenant Abdulloh Doloh in Yaring and the January 4, 2014 shooting death of Pol Senior Sgt-Major Maroseh Munoh and the wounding of defence volunteer Isma-ae Masae in Muang Pattani.
Among other incidents, he said it was also used in the gunning down of Ban Taluboh School teacher Sakul Chadarat in Muang Pattani on July 13, 2015 and the shooting death of Ahamad Da-oh in Muang Pattani on August 13, 2015.
Yutthanam said the shooting of Imam Abdulloh showed that insurgents aimed to commit violence acts during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in a bid to create public misunderstanding.
He said if there was no clear evidence in cases, ill-intentioned people twisted the facts so people thought the officials were behind the crimes.
Security measures in the deep South have been beefed up for the last 10 days of Ramadan.
Muang Yala Police Station superintendent Colonel Jamlong Suwalak yesterday instructed officials at checkpoints to watch out for suspicious vehicles and motorcycles, particularly those carrying makeshift plastic/sticker licence plates.
He urged the public to cooperate with officials and be on the lookout for suspicious unattended items left outside buildings.
In related news, Science and Technology Minister Pichet Durongkaveroj yesterday presided over a ceremony to provide military equipment to the Isoc Front Command at Sirindhron Camp in Yarang.
The items were developed by the Defence Ministry, the Armed Forces, as well as the Science and Technology Ministry’s National Science and Technology Development Agency.
They include 43 Gen-3 night-vision goggles, 50 XR-5 goggles, one Geographic Information System for national security tasks, 10 explosive test kits, 10 drones and 500 foot deodorisers.
