Aryavartha
31-08-2006, 11:22
19 blasts in southern Thailand where there is a militant muslim seperatist movement.
http://english.people.com.cn/200608/31/eng20060831_298491.html
Thai southern Muslim militants launched at least 19 bomb attacks simultaneously at several commercial banks in southernmost province of Yala Thursday morning, killing at least one person and injuring dozens, a military source told Xinhua.
The explosions happened nearly at the same time at 11:30 a.m. local time (0430 GMT), the source said.
At least ten attacks were made in Yala city, the provincial capital, and another nine in Yaha, Raman and Bannang Sata districts.
Local police said most of the remote-control-bombs were installed inside the banks, including the Siam Commercial Bank, Bank of Ayutthaya, the Islamic Bank of Thailand, Siam City Bank and the Krung Thai Bank.
The militants, disguised themselves as students, planted the home-made bombs inside the banks hours before the blasts, the military source said, adding that at least one person was killed on the spot and more than ten others were injured seriously. All of the injured people have been sent to Yala Provincial Hospital.
However, local police sources said more people could be killed and injured, but the exact number was still not known.
Hours after the explosions, the military based in Thai South launched a large scale of manhunt as local authorities ordered all the banks, schools and other public services to stop operation temporarily.
A source from the Siam City Bank in Yala downtown told Thai newspaper the Nation that an official received a phone call, saying a bomb had been planted near the manager's room.
The caller told the bank to evacuate its employees immediately but the bomb exploded shortly after the phone was hung up.
A bank official was injured on his arm and bank customers ran for their life after the explosion, the Nation said on its website.
A week ago, some intelligence agencies have claimed that the Bersatu, or United Front for the Independence of Pattani, planned to launch massive attacks in Thailand's three southernmost provinces on August 31. But the Army early said it had received no information about the planned attacks.
At least 1,300 people have been killed since unrest broke out in January 2004 in three southernmost provinces in Thailand.
http://english.people.com.cn/200608/31/eng20060831_298491.html
Thai southern Muslim militants launched at least 19 bomb attacks simultaneously at several commercial banks in southernmost province of Yala Thursday morning, killing at least one person and injuring dozens, a military source told Xinhua.
The explosions happened nearly at the same time at 11:30 a.m. local time (0430 GMT), the source said.
At least ten attacks were made in Yala city, the provincial capital, and another nine in Yaha, Raman and Bannang Sata districts.
Local police said most of the remote-control-bombs were installed inside the banks, including the Siam Commercial Bank, Bank of Ayutthaya, the Islamic Bank of Thailand, Siam City Bank and the Krung Thai Bank.
The militants, disguised themselves as students, planted the home-made bombs inside the banks hours before the blasts, the military source said, adding that at least one person was killed on the spot and more than ten others were injured seriously. All of the injured people have been sent to Yala Provincial Hospital.
However, local police sources said more people could be killed and injured, but the exact number was still not known.
Hours after the explosions, the military based in Thai South launched a large scale of manhunt as local authorities ordered all the banks, schools and other public services to stop operation temporarily.
A source from the Siam City Bank in Yala downtown told Thai newspaper the Nation that an official received a phone call, saying a bomb had been planted near the manager's room.
The caller told the bank to evacuate its employees immediately but the bomb exploded shortly after the phone was hung up.
A bank official was injured on his arm and bank customers ran for their life after the explosion, the Nation said on its website.
A week ago, some intelligence agencies have claimed that the Bersatu, or United Front for the Independence of Pattani, planned to launch massive attacks in Thailand's three southernmost provinces on August 31. But the Army early said it had received no information about the planned attacks.
At least 1,300 people have been killed since unrest broke out in January 2004 in three southernmost provinces in Thailand.