US accused of setting up arrests of trio

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/22Jun2003_news20.html
Jun 21, 2003

US accused of setting up arrests of trio

Singapore man's motives questioned

Sermsuk Kasitipradit

"...Muslim leaders and a Thai intelligence officer in the South yesterday contended that the United States orchestrated the recent arrest of alleged Jemaah Islamiyah members in an effort to drag Thailand into its war against terrorism.

Abdullah Hapbru, a lecturer in Islamic studies at Prince of Songkhla University, Pattani campus, said Singaporean Arifin bin Ali, a suspected JI member arrested here last month, and whose confession led to the arrest of three Thai Muslims in the South, could have been manipulated because the US wanted Thailand to be on its side.

``They (the Americans) once told us how ugly and loathsome communists were and taught us to hate China and Russia when the communists were its main opponent. We no longer have a threat from communists but the US makes a new monster to serve its interest,'' said Mr Abdullah.

Recalling the recent seizure of a radioactive isotope known as cesium 137 in Bangkok which could be used by terrorists to make a dirty bomb, Mr Abdullah said a Thai undercover agent working for the Central Intelligence Agency was behind the incident.

``I feel pity for the man arrested in the cesium case because he might be in the same position as the three Muslims from Narathiwat accused of being JI members,'' said the lecturer.

Waemahadi Wae-dao, 41, a doctor and owner of a drug store in Narathiwat, Maisuri Haji Abdullah, 50, religious leader and owner of Islam Burana Tohno school, and his son Muyahi Haji Doloh, 21, were arrested after Mr Arifin implicated them during questioning.

The Thais, who are from the Wahabi religious sect, denied any connection with JI, a terrorist group.

The arrest of the three suspects and seizure of the radioactive isotope took place on the eve of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's visit to the US, where the premier agreed to step up cooperation with US to fight terrorism.

Defence Minister Gen Thammarak Isarankura na Ayudhaya said security officials in the South had monitored the trio's movements and knew they were JI members.

``We will not allow our country to be used by this movement (JI) to set up cells in our country,'' said the defence minister.

He was worried that financial support given by an Arab country to Islamic welfare groups in the South could be diverted for terrorism.

The minister said a group of Wahabi followers in the South was also under close watch. Leading members of Islamic militant groups including al-Qaeda and JI are known to be Wahabis.

Security sources said the arrest of the three Thai JI suspects was based solely on information from Singapore.

One source agreed that Mr Arifin could have been manipulated. He was surprised at the number of outsiders in the South in the past six months, including intelligence officials from several western countries who were inquiring about JI movements.

``They kept asking the same questions about JI activities here. This is unusual and could be seen as a plot to drag us in,'' said the official, adding that attempts to link the seizure of the cesium with a supposed plot by the trio to attack five embassies in Bangkok during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit late this year had gone much too far.

Thai Rak Thai MP for Narathiwat Areepen Ultarasilp said he doubted Mr Arifin, who was arrested in Thailand on May 16 and sent back to Singapore the next day, could have acted on other people's behalf with the sole aim to draw Thailand into the fight against terror.

Mr Arifin, also known as John Wong Ah Hung, was caught lying on several occasions to people in the South. ``We see no reason why he has to keep lying if he had no hidden motive. This made us suspect he might be an undercover agent for some powerful country,'' said Mr Areepen.

Claims by Gen Panlop Pinmani, deputy director of the Internal Security Operation Command, that Maisuri Haji Abdullah received military training in Libya had bewildered religious leaders in Narathiwat.

``I was stunned by this charge,'' said Uma Toryip, a Narathiwat senator and former member of the provincial Islamic committee.

Mr Maisuri was a religious man who earned his Islamic degree from Saudi Arabia.

``I doubt he ever went to Libya as claimed. I know him well,'' said the senator.

Mark Larsen, a spokesman for the US embassy, said claims that the CIA was behind the arrests of the Muslims were unfounded. ``There is no ground for such an accusation. No evidence whatsoever,'' he said..."

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printed from US accused of setting up arrests of trio on 2004-05-31 00:30:13