Thai govt probes Hambali's contacts

Thai govt probes Hambali's contacts

THAILAND: Thai security officials are investigating 20 Muslim leaders in southern Thailand for suspected financial links with detained Indonesian terrorist Hambali, media reports said on Tuesday.

The probe is examining whether southern Muslim militants have been receiving financial support from the al-Qaeda terrorist network or the Indonesia-based Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) Muslim militant group, The Nation newspaper reported, citing "intelligence sources".

Hambali, who was arrested in the Thai city of Ayutthaya last August by a joint force of Thai and U.S. security personnel, was believed to be al-Qaeda's chief Southeast Asia operative.

Authorities also believe he masterminded the JI-blamed bombings of two nightspots on Oct. 12, 2002, in Bali that killed 202 people.

Hambali has been detained at an undisclosed location by U.S. officials since his arrest. --DPA