4 suspected of targeting embassies in Thailand

By Rafael D. Frankel
Special to the Tribune
Published June 12, 2003

BANGKOK -- Three men arrested in Thailand and a fourth being held in Singapore are members of Jemaah Islamiyah, a Southeast Asian group linked to Al Qaeda, and were plotting to bomb the U.S. Embassy and four other foreign missions here, Thai and Singaporean authorities said Wednesday.

The three Thai men and one Singaporean are suspected of planning to bomb the Bangkok embassies of Britain, Israel, Australia and Singapore, as well as popular tourist venues in Thailand, said Lt. Gen. Chumporn Manmai, the commissioner of Thailand's police intelligence unit.

Interrogations in Singapore of Arifin bin Ali, a suspect in the bombing plot, led to the surveillance and eventual arrest of the three Thai men in the far southern province Narathiwat.

"Arifin has disclosed to the Internal Security Department that he is involved with a group of like-minded individuals in planning terrorist attacks against certain targets in Thailand," a statement from Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs said.

The plan to bomb the embassies was in the early stages, Chumporn indicated, as the three did not possess explosives or bombmaking material.

However, a document detailing part of their plans was found by Thai police, a spokesman for the Thai prime minister said.

Though arrested in Bangkok on May 16, it was not until Tuesday that Singaporean authorities announced they were holding Arifin, the suspected ringleader. He was taken into custody on immigration violations by Thai police but flown to Singapore a day later at the request of Singaporean intelligence units, Singaporean and Thai sources confirmed.

Arifin said he was a senior member of Jemaah Islamiyah, and accounts from other members in custody corroborate his story, Singapore's home affairs spokesman said Wednesday. Arifin trained other Jemaah Islamiyah members in military operations and security and was experienced in handling weapons and explosives, the spokesman said.

A plot by Jemaah Islamiyah to blow up the American, Australian and Israeli Embassies in Singapore last year was foiled by Singaporean and Malaysian authorities.

Singaporean intelligence, widely respected throughout Asia, believes Arafin originally went to Narathiwat before moving to Bangkok in January 2002.

Arafin was "on his way to a meeting" when he was picked up by police in Bangkok, Chumporn said. "We don't know who it was with."

Singapore is holding Arafin for interrogation under its Internal Security Act, which allows for detaining suspects indefinitely without charges.

Information provided to Thailand by Singapore from those interrogations led to surveillance being placed on Maisuri Haji Abdulloh, his son Muyahi Haji Doloh and Waemahadi Wae-dao just days before their arrests Tuesday.

The three are now in Bangkok, where Thai police have begun interrogating them.

A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy here on Wednesday praised Thailand and Singapore for their efforts to fight terrorism.

"It was a rapid and effective response on the part of Thai authorities to apprehend people" suspected of planning terrorist activities, the spokesman said. "It says very good things about the coordination between two members of [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations]."

©2003 The Chicago Tribune