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The Straits Times June 10, 2007 JI-linked Cambodians in Thai religious schools Cambodian Muslims have moved into Thai south, says general BANGKOK - A TOP Thai security adviser said Cambodian Muslims with links to the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terror network have entered the troubled south and have infiltrated the region's religious schools. General Wattanachai Chaimuenwong, an adviser to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont, said numerous Cambodian Muslims had recently arrived in Thailand legally, en route to finding jobs in Malaysia. However, there is no record of their departure from Thailand, he told the Bangkok Post, citing intelligence reports. 'Even though I do not know where they are, I can say Cambodians with alleged JI links are now in the southern part of Thailand,' he said. He added that many of them have joined the Gurakan Mujahideen Islam Pattani insurgent group in the restive region, which is battling a Muslim insurgency. 'We do not know exactly where they end up. Some go to religious schools and pursue religious studies in the deep south,' said Gen Wattanachai. The general had last month commented that Cambodian Muslims were training insurgents in southern Thailand, prompting an angry reaction from the Cambodian government, which called his remarks a 'gross accusation'. Gen Wattanachai later backed away from his comments, saying that Thailand did not have 'clear evidence' yet and could not confirm the nationalities of those allegedly training the insurgents. The general's latest comments, reported in yesterday's Bangkok Post, however, appear to be an reiteration of his earlier remarks. He told the Post that there were frequent arrests of terror suspects in Cambodia, and raised the example of JI member Hambali, who was reportedly in Cambodia before he was arrested in Thailand in 2003. The general called on the Thai government to work together in intelligence work with Phnom Penh. 'We'd better cooperate in terms of intelligence because this (influx of Cambodians) is linked to the southern separatist insurgency,' he said. He added that the government is losing the fight against the insurgents and warned that part of the kingdom could end up lost. 'Our strategy is failing. If things go on like this, the international community will step in. And we will be like Aceh,' he said, referring to the Indonesian province which suffered almost 30 years of separatist fighting before a peace deal was signed. Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement & Condition of Access |