Seven suspects have been charged in connection with separatist violence and over the seizure of bomb-making equipment in Yala province, officials said on Friday.
Col Pramote Phrom–in, the spokesman of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, said the suspects were preparing an operation to launch bomb attacks during Ramadan, which starts at the end of this month.
The suspects were arrested by security forces in Yala province yesterday morning, while several items of bomb-making equipment and explosive substances were also confiscated during the raid, the officials said.
The suspects are now in custody at a base belonging to the 41st special task force ranger unit.
Initial questioning, Col Pramote said, revealed that the suspects had been involved with separatist violence in previous attacks in Yala province.
The suspects confessed that they were making bombs at the time the authorities raided the house.
The raid was carried out in response to a request from the 4th Army Area Commander Lt Col Warit Rojanapakdee, in compliance with the National Council for Peace and Order’s order to crack down on weapons to reduce possible violence nationwide.
Lt Col Warit ordered the investigation team to speed up their probe.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, security forces surrounded a house in Yala’s Muang district to arrest several suspects allegedly involved in violent attacks.
A number of items used for bomb-making were found and seized from the house.
Also, police are investigating a deadly shooting in Narathiwat’s Rangae district yesterday afternoon to confirm whether the murder is connected to southern separatist violence.
Azuwee Sayo, 23, was gunned down as he was returning home from a mosque to meet his wife.
The victim was attacked by two people who approached him on a motorcycle, shot him and then fled the scene.
Police said Azuwee's killing may have been motivated by the ongoing violent unrest.