Police photo pair face charges of terrorism
Two men who resemble two suspected bombers in police photographs were yesterday charged with five criminal offences, including terrorism, which is punishable by death.
They were charged shortly after a court rejected their attempt to have arrest warrants against them revoked. Apart from terrorism, Pratya Preechavej and Yutthaphong Kittisriworraphan have been charged with attempted murder, endangering the public, criminally causing property damage and possessing explosives without permission. The Bangkok South Criminal Court said that revoking the warrants prior to completion of the police's investigation would be a cross-agency professional interference and violate judicial regulations. Chief Justice Suebphong Sriphongkul said the court would have ruled out the entire case and violated both the police's and public prosecutors' professional credentials if it revoked the warrants at the request of the complainants. "The court cannot presently hear both complainants' protest of innocence because it would be an interference into the police's and public prosecutors' work if it does so," he continued. "The court's jurisdiction over the issue and prior procedures and authorities mandated to the police and public prosecutors are currently still in different channels." At press time last night, both Pratya, 38, and Yutthaphong, 36, were in police custody for questioning at Prawet police station, whose jurisdiction covers the Seacon Square shopping complex in Suan Luang district where a bomb attack took place on New Year's Eve. They have been offered bail of Bt200,000 each. Maj-General Jate Mongkholhatthee, a senior investigator in the case, said the arrests and charges were not retaliatory acts by police in response to the men's complaint to the court. They were in line with the police's duty, supported by evidence against both men. He said police investigators would face charges of negligence of duty if they failed to proceed further upon hearing the court's decision to drop the complaint. Pratya said he respected the court's decision and did not blame anyone, including police officers. He still believed in the justice system as a whole, although he was feeling very bad and stressed out, while he still maintained his innocence. Yutthaphong did not make any public statement.
Kesinee Taengkhiew The Nation
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