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Published on February 1, 2008

The five were arrested in a raid in Muang district's Ban Kaluwoh yesterday.

Forensics chief Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunand rushed to Tanyong police station to examine their fingerprints and see whether they matched those she had earlier collected from the mosque.

More than 100 troops and police raided the mosque in Ban Bango Sato at about 11am yesterday, and officials noticed five young men running out.

During the raid, five remote-control bombs and seven boxes made to contain them were found. Other explosive substances, detonators, remote-control devices and batteries were also found hidden in the mosque, officials said.

Pornthip was there with the team to collect fingerprints and other evidence for forensic tests.

After studying the items found, officials said they believed the bomb-makers were the same people who recently ambushed and killed eight soldiers in the Rangae district, Pornthip said. She did not elaborate what kind of substance indicated the suspects were the same people.

Earlier in the day, at about 4am, about 300 officials searched and found a cache of dynamite in Ban I Yer Queen, in Yala's Betong district. Nearly 100 sticks of dynamite and some detonators were found buried in the village. Police believe the militants were using these to prepare bombs for an operation during the Chinese New Year next week. No arrests were made.

Violence has engulfed the deep South since the beginning of 2004, killing more than 2,800 people so far. The authorities have raided several locations to arrest suspects believed to belong to militant groups.

However, these arrests have raised questions as to whether the detained suspects were really militants.

The Students Federation of Thailand has questioned whether the nine Yala students detained since last week were really involved in the violence. The organisation has also called for their immediate release.

Army spokesman Acra Thiproch said suspected militants arrested earlier tipped off officials the students were with them. The Army had the authority to detain them for up to 37 days, he said.

The Nation

NARATHIWAT