NSC: Money transferred from Middle East unrelated to southern insurgency

BANGKOK, September 22 (TNA) – National Security Council (NSC) Secretary-General Paradorn Pattanathabutr admits that there were money transfers from Middle East countries to Thailand’s southernmost provinces but says they are unrelated to insurgency in the region. Lieutenant General Paradorn told reporters on Saturday that the money was transferred as donations to charitable organisations in the southern border provinces to assist Thai Muslim people in religious and education affairs. He said investigation has been conducted and it has found that the money was not spent in staging bloody violence in the troubled region. The NSC chief comments came after the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) said Friday that it had uncovered a trail of financial transfers from the Middle East to Thailand's deep South and the agency were checking to see if these transactions were related to the insurgency. Touching on a five-point demands made by Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) militant group, Lieutenant General Paradorn said the demands were sent to security, academic and the general public for study before the conclusions are made and sent back to security officers who will hold talks with the BRN. He said the next round of talks with the BRN is expected to be held during the third week of October. (TNA)