ONE OF the suspects in the Big C Pattani car bomb explosion has identified eight accomplices, including the mastermind behind the attack that injured more than 60 people on Tuesday.

Fourth Army Area chief Lt-General Piyawat Nakwanich yesterday released a list of the car-bomb suspects.

The list is based on information from Su-ai-mee Sama-ae, who has been interrogated at a military base in Pattani province since his arrest on Thursday night.

According to Su-ai-mee, Annungwa Kazor is the alleged mastermind, while Maolana Samoh and Abdul-aze Japakeeya are responsible for finding others to actually carry out the attack.

He said that Isma-ae Morzu was in charge of getting the vehicle that would be used as the car bomb. Manasay Zyredee was tasked with assembling explosives and concealing them in the vehicle, alongside Muhammad Kazor. All along, Ruslan Baimor and Bukhori Lamzoh served as lookouts.

To get the vehicle for the plot, the gang allegedly lured Nuson Kajornkam, a tent-service provider from Yala province, to Pattani and killed him on Tuesday morning, according to Su-ai-mee. About five hours later, his pickup truck was packed with explosive-filled cylinders and parked in front of the Big C Pattani.

Nuson left behind his wife, who is a nurse, and their two children.

His widow, Sawitree Kachornkham, said yesterday that she did not want to live in Yala anymore because it was not safe, even in broad daylight.

The death of her husband was a big blow. “I hope such a thing will never happen to anyone else. I really would like to ask the killer whether they have ever loved someone,” she said.

Pattani Governor Weeranan Pengchan said all eight suspects implicated by Su-ai-mee had criminal records.

“They are wanted for many other crimes in Pattani and Yala,” he said.

He added that the ongoing investigation suggested that the eight suspects had already fled to the neighbouring Yala province.

Pattani Special Taskforce’s chief Maj-General Jatuporn Klampasut said that the chief executive of the Tambon Nong Chik Administrative Organisation and a local imam had been aware of Nuson’s killing.

“At this point, there is no evidence that they directly took part in the robbery. So, we have just interviewed them for information. We have also questioned five locals for the same purpose,” Jatuporn said.

Suspicious activities

Colonel Yuttanam Petchmuang, a deputy spokesman for the Forward Command of the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4, said Piyawat had already asked relevant authorities to gather evidence fast to bring all the culprits to justice.

Following the explosion, an arrest warrant was issued for Makorseng Ma-ae, 25. But authorities are still searching for him.

Yuttanam urged people to alert authorities if they detected any suspicious activities.

HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn has assigned a delegate to provide flowers and gifts of support to victims at hospitals.

Unrest has raged in Thailand’s deep South for more than a decade. Bloody incidents have taken place on almost a daily basis.

Yesterday afternoon, more than 100 religious leaders, community leaders and locals joined a prayer in front of Big C Pattani to ask for peace. They condemned the use of violence, including the blast that hit the area a few days ago.

Meanwhile, the Sheikhul Islam Office has released a letter condemning the incidents in Pattani province that injured 61 innocent people when two bombs were detonated on Tuesday afternoon at a Big C store in Muang Pattani district.

The office said that the vicious act had been designed to take innocent lives and thus violated the teachings of Islam, which clearly forbids such a crime.

The Sheikhul Islam Office urged the perpetrators to refrain from engaging in further violence against local residents.

The office also implored the government to do everything in its power to prevent such incidents from occurring, while providing assistance to victims and bringing the culprits to justice.

The letter ends with a plea to the |administration to find peaceful solutions to end the violence that is plaguing the South, especially by means of promoting public |participation.