Isoc warns of militant plots
- Published: 7/02/2009 at 12:00 AM
- Newspaper section: News
The Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 has warned that southern rebels may disguise themselves as rights activists to incite hatred among local residents against government officials.
Isoc issued its warning during a meeting of the peace-building council yesterday, said a source.
In its report, Isoc said many human rights and student activists have now gone to the South to meet local residents and gain first-hand information about the operations of security officers, particularly regarding the arrests of suspected insurgents.
Isoc warned that southern militants may take the opportunity to disguise themselves as rights activists in order to incite hatred against officials or distort information to create misunderstanding about security operations among locals.
According to the Isoc report, a total of 85 violent attacks took place in the deep South in January alone, claiming 44 lives and injuring 79.
Pattani suffered the highest number of violent attacks, followed by Narathiwat, Yala and Songkhla.
The source said rebels had tried to carry out violent attacks on economic targets in the South. Many explosives were reportedly hidden in border areas.
