Thai military detains former PM and other top politicians

BANGKOK: Thailand’s military rulers detained former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and other leading politicians yesterday, a senior officer said, after summoning her for talks a day after the army overthrew her caretaker government in a coup.

As the army moved to consolidate its grip on the country, its chief, General Prayuth Chan-ocha, set out his plans for the country, saying reforms were needed before an election. But some Thais defied martial law to protest against the takeover.

Prayuth launched his coup after rival factions refused to give ground in a struggle for power between the royalist establishment and Yingluck’s populist government that had raised fears of serious violence and damaged the economy.

“We have detained Yingluck, her sister and brother-in-law,” a senior military officer said. The two relatives held top political posts.

“We will do so for not more than a week, that would be too long. We just need to organise matters in the country first,” said the officer.

He declined to say where Yingluck was being held, but media said she was at an army base in Saraburi province, north of Bangkok. Soldiers detained politicians from both sides on Thursday after Prayuth announced the military takeover, which drew swift international condemnation.

In what appeared to be a coordinated operation to neutralise possible opposition to the coup, the military summoned the ousted Yingluck to a meeting and then banned her and 154 others, including politicians and activists, from leaving Thailand.

Yingluck is the sister of Thaksin Shinawatra, a billionaire telecommunications tycoon turned politician who won huge support among the poor but the loathing of the royalist establishment, largely over accusations of corruption and nepotism.

He was ousted as premier in a 2006 military coup.

Responding to the summons, Yingluck arrived at an army facility at noon along with other politicians. Prayuth was there at the same time but there was no confirmation they met. After Prayuth had left, nine vans with tinted windows were seen leaving but it was not clear if Yingluck was in one of them or where they were going.

An aide to a minister in the ousted government said some people, including his minister, had been detained. A former aide to Yingluck said she been out of telephone contact for hours.

Yingluck was forced to step down as prime minister by a court on May 7 but her caretaker government, buffeted by more than six months of protests against it, had remained nominally in power, even after the army declared martial law on Tuesday.

Prayuth also summoned hundreds of civil servants and told them he needed their help.

“We must have economic, social and political reforms before elections. If the situation is peaceful, we are ready to return power to the people,” he said.

The military has censored the media, dispersed rival protesters and imposed a nationwide 10pm to 5am curfew.

The armed forces have a long history of intervening in politics – there have been 18 previous successful or attempted coups since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. – Reuters

Woman, 115, born in 19th century

INKSTER, Michigan: The oldest American, a member of a select group of the living to have been born in the 19th century, celebrated her 115th birthday yesterday.

Jeralean Talley, who was born on May 23, 1899 and is the second- oldest person in the world, went fishing last year and still gets around on her own with the help of a walker.

Her answer as to why she has lived so long hasn’t changed over the years.

“It’s all in the good Lord’s hands,” Talley said. “There’s nothing I can do about it.”

Talley is second-oldest in the world. Japan resident Misao Okawa, 116, tops the list.

Yemen car bomb kills 3

ADEN: A suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden car into a Shia checkpoint in Yemen yesterday, killing three people, officials said.

Sources blamed Sunni alQaeda militants, who carried out similar attacks on the Shia Houthi tribal group in the past.

At least 24 people have been killed this week in fighting between Shia fighters and the army and allied Sunni tribesmen.

Intense sectarian conflict has undermined attempts at national reconciliation.

Islamist leader killed in Egypt

CAIRO: Shadi al- Menei, an Islamist militant leader in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, was shot dead, security sources said, a few days before Egyptians vote for a new president.

The security sources said alMenei and five others were killed in a firefight while walking in Maghara in central Sinai.

Al-Menei was the head of Ansar Beit Al Maqdis, or Defenders of Jerusalem, which was responsible for several recent attacks on security forces in Egypt.

In Fayoum, southwest of Cairo, one man was killed and three others wounded at clashes between security forces and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, a source said.

UN anti-torture treaty for Vatican

GENEVA: A UN committee says the Vatican has effective worldwide control over bishops and priests who must comply with a UN anti-torture treaty, a finding that could expose the Catholic Church to new lawsuits by victims of clerical sex abuse.

The UN Committee Against Torture has repeatedly ruled that rape and sexual violence can be considered torture cases, which in much of the world don’t carry statutes of limitations.

The expert panel said the Holy See must ensure that the treaty isn’t violated by its officials “in any situation in which they exercise jurisdiction or effective control”.

It says Vatican officials have failed to report abuse charges properly, moved priests rather than disciplined them, and failed to pay adequate compensation to victims.

PICTURE: REUTERS