Malaysia hands over PULO suspect to Thai

Malaysia hands over PULO suspect to Thai

THAILAND: Malaysia has handed over a suspected leader of the separatist Pattani United Liberation Organization (PULO) to Thai authorities, Interior Minister Kongsak Wantanna confirmed on Thursday.

"There was an arrest warrant for this man issued in Pattani," said Kongsak, before departing for Hat Yai, 710 kilometers south of Bangkok, to interrogate Manasae Jaeloh, 35.

Manasae, who was recently arrested by Malaysian authorities in Kuala Lumpur, was handed over to Thai authorities on Tuesday. He is a prime suspect in a series of bombings and other acts of violence in Thailand's deep South, which comprises the three provinces Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala.

"He was also involved in the 1992 bomb blast at Hat Yai train station," said Kongsak, adding that the suspected separatist had received military training in Libya.

Thailand praised Malaysia for extraditing Manasae, who has a one million baht (US$24,390) bounty on his head.

The development is expected to improve Thai-Malaysia ties that have been strained by increasing violence in the majority Moslem deep South since last year.

Separatist struggles such as that waged by PULO have simmered in the area for decades, fueled by a sense of cultural, ethnic and religious differences from the predominantly Buddhist, Bangkok-based Thai nation. -- DPA