THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

First suspect arrested over bomb attacks declares he is innocent

First suspect arrested over bomb attacks declares he is innocent

THE FIRST SUSPECT arrested over the wave of bomb and arson attacks in Southern tourist towns last month insists he is innocent, a source in a Pattani-based national security agency revealed yesterday.

In response to the attacks in seven Southern provinces on August 11-12, which killed four people and wounded dozens, the authorities initially issued arrest warrants for five suspects – one of whom is Trang arson suspect Abdul-Kadae Salae, the first suspect arrested in the case. 
The other arrest warrants were issued for Phuket bombing suspect Ahama Lengha, Hua Hin bombing suspects Russalan Baima and Asmeen Kadem-madi, and Nakhon Si Thammarat bombing suspect Hakeem Doloh. 
Deputy national police chief General Srivara Rangsipramanakul yesterday applied for a Military Court arrest warrant for another suspect linked to the Hua Hin attacks.
Abdul-Kadae, 36, of Pattani’s Yarang district, allegedly has ties to the deep South insurgency. On Friday he was named as a suspect in the Lee Mart department store arson.
He was arrested that afternoon and placed in military custody for interrogation. 
Trang police refused to comment on the case. However, the security agency source said Abdul-Kadae claimed he was not the suspect seen in CCTV footage and denied the charge of having conspired with others to detonate the fire bomb at the department store.
The source said Abdul-Kadae denied having travelled to Trang on a scouting trip in late July and having been in the province when the fire bomb was planted at the department on August 10.
The source said Abdul-Kadae claimed he was in Pattani on both occasions and had worked in the office of the sub-district administrative organisation near his home prior to the attack and afterwards. August 12, the day of the attack, was the Mother’s Day public holiday.
He said he did not flee because he was innocent and had provided his alibis to security officials, the source said.
Security officials were checking with the sub-district administration organisation office yesterday.
Meanwhile, there could be a development in the investigation into the car bomb explosion in front of a hotel in Pattani’s Muang district that killed two people and wounded 30 on August 23.
Police deputy spokesman Krisana Pattanacharoen said investigators were gathering evidence to ask the Pattani Provincial Court to issue an arrest warrant for a suspect yesterday. He said the suspect had a criminal record and alleged links to the Runda Kumpulan Kecil Southern insurgency group.
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