Thai Security Forces Score Against Militants

PATTANI (Southern Thailand), Feb 11 (Bernama) -- Thai security forces have arrested a member of a liberation movement and seized explosives following a shootout with five men holed up in a hut in the middle of a mangrove forest in Pattani province. The 10-minute shootout took place from about 11am Wednesday after the five men in the hut in Kampung Pao, Nongchik, became aware of the presence of the security forces, Pattani Police chief Maj Gen Thanongsak Wangsupa said Thursday. The hut was believed to have been used for the making of bombs and other explosives, he told reporters. Thanongsak said four of the men escaped a police operation conducted after the shootout by about 100 personnel with the use of helicopters and boats. The hut, located in the middle of the mangrove forest, could only be reached by boat, he said. Thanongsak said the security forces recovered a 30kg home-made bomb which was to have been used at any time, several other explosives, several 15kg gas cylinders and other materials. "What was more shocking was the discovery of an amount of urea fertiliser that can be used to make thirty 15kg bombs as well as plans for attacks," he said. Thanongsak said the member of the liberation movement captured in the operation was 30 years old and active in Nongchik. He said the security forces believed that one of the four men who escaped was a bomb expert active in Nongchik and Khokpo in Pattani and Tepa in Songkhla. Thanongsak said the hunt for the four fugitives had been stepped up. -- BERNAMA