Pattani: Five suspects have been arrested in connection with six shootings of police and civilians over the last eight years, mostly carried out in the central district of this restive southern province.
Authorities announced the arrests yesterday at Ingkhayutthaborihan military camp. They said the suspects often plotted at local tea shops and had their weapons delivered to local mosques.
The suspects were identified as Ismael Masae, Sulaiman Da-o, Marosadee Jitoso, Roki Daemo and Supkeeplee Salae. They allegedly confessed to their involvement.
The first involved the shooting and burning of Apichart Sae Chua on March 9, 2010 at a charcoal-selling shop on Yarang Road.
The second centred on the shooting death of Veera Panthon, a Pattani Technical College teacher, on July 19, 2010. The incident took place outside a laundry shop on Charoenpradit Road.
In the third case, Phisut Ngernpote, a retired police sub-lieutenant, was shot dead in front of a cemetery on Rong Lao Sayok Road on Oct 25, 2010.
All three incidents took place in Pattani's Muang district.
The fourth case involved a fatal gun attack on Wichet Boonchai, a security guard for the Pattani branch of the War Veterans Organisation of Thailand, at his home on April 7, 2011. Wichet also shot dead an assailant identified as Abdulromae Jae-awae.
The fifth case involved a gun attack and the theft of a firearm from Pol Capt Chote Uansrisai, a deputy inspector at Muang Pattani police station, at a pier on the banks of the Pattani River on April 3, 2012. The officer survived.
The sixth case involved a deadly gun attack on Wichit Ratapaitoon who was jogging on Charoenpradit Road on Nov 5, 2011.
Maj Gen Jatupron Klumpasut, commander of the Pattani special task force, and Pattani police chief Piyawat Chalermsri, attended the media briefing.
