Court convicts 9 teens for bomb plots

City sabotage planned by South separatists

The Criminal Court has sentenced nine of 14 teenagers to between four and six years in jail for their roles in sabotage activities, carried out on behalf of a southern separatist movement, in Bangkok and Samut Prakan between 2010 and 2016.

The court acquitted the five other defendants.

Talmisi Totayong, Abdulbazir Luekajik, Usman Kadenghayi, Niheng Yining, Umri Ha, Noraman Abu, Muftain Salae and Duanhafit Duemungkapa were each given four years in prison for their involvement in the criminal plot, while Mubarih Kana was sentenced to six years in prison for both his role in the same plot and violating the 1947 law on firearms, ammunition and explosives.

Mizi Jeha, Pathomporn Mihi-ae, Umram Mayi, Wirat Hami and Muhammad Zakriya Tamung were acquitted due to insufficient evidence.

The nine were also found guilty of being part of an organisation aiming to separate Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and some parts of Songkhla from Thailand and turn them into a new independent state called “Patani State” or “Patani Darussalam”, said the ruling, read out yesterday.

The convicts were involved in a plot by the organisation to carry out attacks in Bangkok and Samut Prakan with the intent to hurt and kill both state officials and civilians, as well as damage property, said the ruling.

A number of bombs were assembled for use in the attacks.

Although there were no eyewitness accounts of the perpetrators carrying out the acts, the judge was convinced by evidence and statements from key witnesses that the nine were involved in plotting attacks.

Forensic evidence in the form of explosive residue collected from the hands of Mubarih matched explosive material seized by the police, said the ruling.

The judge was convinced by testimony from Pol Col Kamthon Auycharoen, head of the police’s forensic team.

Pol Col Kamthon told the court that the explosive residue found on Mubarih’s hands was unusual and could only be present after he had assembled a bomb using that particular type of explosive, said the ruling.

In another development, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha shrugged off a demand made by a group of students and youths calling itself the Federation of Patani Student and Youth (Permas) for the regime to lift martial law imposed in the deep South.

“I have explained several times about the importance of maintaining martial law in certain areas of the southern border provinces to facilitate the work of the security forces working to contain the unrest in the far South.”

And as far as he was concerned, Gen Prayut said, every country must occasionally implement this type of special law for the sake of national security and the group’s demand has prompted strong criticism from residents who want to see law and order and public security prevail in the South.