Thailand’s Thaksin
How did Ismaae Yusof Rayalong miss the Qur’an’s teachings of peace? From Thailand’s The Nation, with thanks to Nicolei:
Police yesterday issued an arrest warrant for Ismaae Yusof Rayalong, a religious teacher in Yala’s Lamyai tambon, in connection with last week’s attacks against more than 10 police installations, which ended in the deaths of 108 suspected Muslim insurgents and five security officers.
As police started searching for Ismaae, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra moved to ease Muslim anger over the security forces’ alleged use of excessive force and for violating the sanctity of Krue Se Mosque in Pattani by setting up an independent committee to investigate last week’s bloodshed.
Thaksin said he would visit the historic mosque, the scene of a shootout between Muslim insurgents and security forces, that left the 32 men holed up in the mosque dead. The army fired rockets and grenades at the mosque, action which has stirred up anger among local Muslims.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a police officer said Ismaae is the headmaster of the Tohyeeming Islamic boarding school in Yala’s Muang district.
Poliec believe Ismaae is one of the top operatives who helped plan last week’s attacks.
Information incriminating Ismaae came from interrogations of 17 insurgents who were arrested during last Wednesday’s bloody shootouts, the source said.
In other news from Thailand (thanks again to Nicolei), “Security at Government House was raised to high alert yesterday following a report that it was targeted for a suicide bombing attack in retaliation for the killing of 108 Islamic militants last week.”
Those “militants,” of course, mounted the first attack.