Thailand 'among 11 countries on Iraq's hit list'

Straights Times ^ | March 31 2003

[knighthawk]

Intelligence sources warn of retaliation for US-led war

BANGKOK - Thailand is tightening anti-terrorism measures following intelligence that it is among 11 nations targeted by Iraqi agents for attacks over the US-led war against their country.

The Bangkok Post yesterday quoted Special Branch officers as saying they had received warnings that Iraqi agents in Yemen and Jordan had tried to activate 'sleeper cells' there at the weekend.

The authorities in those countries, who penetrated the cells and arrested at least four Iraqis, extracted information that Thailand was on a 'short list' of countries expected to be targets of violence.

Others on the list include Britain, Pakistan, India, Bahrain, Syria, Turkey, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.

Ironically, the United States is not on the list, presumably because there are no Iraqi intelligence cells there.

During the US-led war in 1991 to liberate Kuwait, Iraqi agents had tried to send five terrorists to attack Thailand, said the Bangkok Post.

However, Thai security forces intercepted the terrorists as they entered the country, it added.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra recently approved the expulsion of two Iraqi diplomats and eight other Iraqis deemed to be a threat to Thailand.

A US request to expel all Iraqi diplomats is still under consideration.

Special Branch and military sources were quoted as saying that information came to Thailand at the weekend from several sources.

The Thai authorities were told that security officials in Jordan and Yemen had broken up the Iraqi sleeper cells - small groups of Iraqis who had lived quietly in the country for months or years under the guise of being businessmen, students or tourists.

The cells were broken up when Iraqi agents in Yemen tried to recruit men to help carry out attacks.

However, the men informed the authorities instead.

Thai officials said the Arab authorities questioned the men in both cities, cross-checked the results of the interrogation, and came up with a list of countries that could also be at risk.

Thai security officials had already gone on a special alert more than two weeks ago, on the eve of the US invasion of Iraq, 'based both on current information and our knowledge of what Iraq tried to do in Thailand in 1991', an officer told the Bangkok Post.

And last Thursday, the Fifth Infantry Regiment launched a two-month joint operation with the Malaysian army to prevent terrorists from sneaking across the Thai-Malaysia border.

High on their wanted list is Encep Nurjaman, the Indonesian leader of Jemaah Islamiah (JI) who is better known as Hambali.

Some officials believe he may be hiding in Thailand, but other sources believe he is in Myanmar or Bangladesh.

JI has been linked to last year's Bali blasts which killed about 200 people.

[knighthawk]

Ping

[angkor]

Why in the heck would they target Thailand? Makes no sense.

In any case I'd not want to be a Muslim fanatic cruising the streets of Bangkok. It's not exactly a multicultural society.

And the Thai police can be rather thorough in their work.

[Tamar1973]

The southern part of Thailand has a sizable muslim population and shares a border w/ Malaysia. Don't underestimate the ability of a muslim wacko to hide away.

[AM2000]

Great Britain is the only country in this list that makes sense. Syria is actively siding with Iraq. Pakistan, India and Turkey are publicly anti-war although they're not actively aiding the Iraqis. I don't know about Bahrain, Lebanon and the UAE. I'd be very surprised if all three of these countries didn't fall into the same category as Turkey, though. As for Thailand, wtf?

[EaglesUpForever]

Ironically, the United States is not on the list, presumably because there are no Iraqi intelligence cells there.

I don't believe this...

[Archie Bunker on steroids]

Will use cells not to attack those nations, but to attack enemy interests in that nation. Article should have been more specific.

[angkor]

I understand there are Muslims in the very southernmost part of Thailand (and only 3.8 percent of pop.). But the remaining 95 percent of the country is Buddhist. Probably 99.50 in Bangkok.

[AM2000]

Oh.

[struwwelpeter]

I think they may be planning a few disco attacks, as happened in Bali. Lots of "tourists" and ex-pats there.

Of course, the upside to it is that this would take out about 500 sweating, fiftyish, kraut child molesters, not to mention that damn sheriff with the chaw who was picking on Roger Moore during Live and Let Die.

[Tamar1973]

The southern areas where the Muslims are (like Puket and Phi Phi Island) are also swimming w/ ex-pats and tourists. Easy targets for muslim wackos to take out and then sneak into Malaysia.

[angkor]

I think they may be planning a few disco attacks

If so, they'll again get far more Brits, Aussies, and Thai people than Americans.

There just aren't that many Americans out there in expat-land, comparatively speaking.

And the Thai police and military would definitely not show as much restraint as the Indonesians in cracking down on Arab troublemakers.

[Kadric]

Syria and Lebanon don't really make sense. The rest are allies or lean in our direction.

[angkor]

OK, maybe Phuket. But its still a stretch, 150 miles to Malaysia.

And to what end? To hurt Thai tourism? Why? The Islamists have about a one in a zillion chance of gaining any influence whatsoever in Thailand, aside from having their throats cut. The Thais can be very formidable fighters (only country not colonialized in SE Asia).

Finally, most of the tourists in Phuket are German and French, not American. And expats don't go there too often.

[knighthawk]

They could target US/UK assets in those countries.