Trang arson suspect brought to military court
Deputy police chief General Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul yesterday brought Trang arson suspect Abdul-Kadae Salae to the Military Court of 43rd Military Circle in Nakhon Si Thammarat, where it was recommended that prosecutors indict Abdul-Kadae and two alleged accomplices who remained at large.
Srivara said he was 100-per-cent confident that the available evidence was sufficient to prosecute Adul-Kadae, although the Pattani native maintained his innocence.
The deputy police chief, in his capacity as head investigator of the spate of bomb and arson attacks in seven provinces on August 11 and 12, said he would submit the case file on the Phuket and Surat Thani bombings to prosecutors soon.
He said the case was 70-per-cent complete, but he was not satisfied because investigators had not been able to identify the masterminds. The motive behind the attacks – which killed four and injured more than 30 – was unclear as a result, he added.
The investigation into the arson and bomb attacks was split into 11 cases, and so far arrest warrants have been issued for 13 individuals.
Srivara also announced the results of a criminal suppression operation from November 10 to Wednesday that resulted in the arrest of 174 suspects, including a number of wanted people, as well as the seizure of 49 guns, 624 rounds of ammunition, 2,081 “yaba” pills, 132.88 grams of crystal meth, or “ice”, more than three kilograms of marijuana, 2.5 grams of heroin and 164kg of krathom leaves.