Wednesday, 7 July 2010

'Red leaders betrayed us'

http://news.asiaone.com/

via Khmer NZ

Tue, Jul 06, 2010
The Nation/Asia News Network

THE two Thai terrorism suspects repatriated by Cambodia yesterday told police that red-shirted leaders had tricked them into taking the rap for plotting a bomb attack on Bhum Jai Thai Party headquarters.

"The couple said these fellow red shirts called them out of their hotel room only to be arrested," Lt General Assawin Kwangmuang Assawin, assistant National Police chief, told reporters.

Warisriya Boonsom and her husband Kobchai Boonplob were taken into custody in Siem Reap last Saturday and detained for two days in Phnom Penh before they were put on a plane for Bangkok.

The couple accused Payap Panket and DJ Aom, Kanyapak Maneejak, of betraying them, Assawin said.

Warisriya was seen crying upon her arrival at Suvarnabhumi Airport before the pair was whisked to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI)'s office under tight security.

'WE ARE BEING FRAMED'

She said she and Kobchai were being framed, as they had nothing to do with the bomb plan, even though they had sheltered other suspects before the attempted attack.

Evidence shows that Warisriya and Kobchai left Thailand on June 23, just one day after the homemade bomb exploded prematurely and wounded Anek Singkhunthod, who confessed to planting the bomb and implicated many others including Dejpol Puttajong.

Dejpol is a red-shirt guard, and the couple knew him enough to let him stay at their home. Dejpol told police that the couple had paid him to carry out the bomb attack.

Assawin led a team that waited for Warisriya and Kobchai at the airport.

Phnom Penh contacted Thai authorities about sending these two suspects back without a prior request from the Thai government, Assawin said.

He said he did not know why they agreed to give up the couple so easily, but Chavanond Intarakomal-yasut, secretary to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, and East Asia Affairs Department director-general Kittipong na Ranong might have more information since they had direct contact with the Thai embassy there.

Chavanond told The Nation that Cambodia has a firm policy to work with other countries in overcoming terrorism and the case of the two Thai suspects was very clear.

"The Thai government would like to express its gratitude to Cambodia for the cooperation," he said.

Phnom Penh did not demand anything in exchange for the two suspects, he said.

It was considered unusual for Cambodia to arrest and deport anyone who has or might have connections with the red-shirt movement or fugitive former prime minister Thaksin, who is an adviser to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Phnom Penh rejected a Thai request last year to extradite Thaksin on grounds that it was politically motivated and Thaksin has personal relations with Hun Sen.

BAIL REQUEST TO BE OPPOSED

DSI director-general Tharit Pengdit said investigators plan to oppose any bail request since these two suspects had shown their intention to flee the country.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he would like to thank Cambodia for its assistance in the affair.

"We will seek further cooperation if investigations show more Thais in Cambodia are involved," he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban declined to comment on reports that red-shirt leader Arisman Pongrueangrong was also in Cambodia but had not been arrested.

"We have to look at the facts," he said.

The Thai embassy in Cambodia has not reported on how many Thais wanted on various charges in their home country are living there now, he said.

Maj General Amnuay Nimmano, deputy Metropolitan Police commissioner, said Warisriya and her husband had started providing useful information like details about other suspects whom they had contact with.

-The Nation/Asia News Network

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