Thai PM admits guns smuggled to Aceh came from army arsenal

Thai PM admits guns smuggled to Aceh came from army arsenal

Agencies Bangkok

Hundreds of weapons smuggled into the war-ravaged Indonesian province of Aceh came from a Thai army arsenal, Thailand's prime minister admitted on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra refused to say if corrupt army officials were involved in smuggling the stolen arms to Aceh rebels, or whether common criminals were responsible.

"If you ask whether some weapons (in the hands of) Aceh rebels came from the Thai army or not, the answer is yes. These are weapons smuggled out of an arsenal of the Thai army," Thaksin told reporters.

Eight Indonesians were arrested in January and February on suspicion of moving hundreds of firearms from southern Thailand to the Free Aceh Movement guerrillas, Indonesian police said on Saturday.

Thaksin said Thai officials are in Indonesia investigating the disappearance of the weapons.

He declined to give specific details as to the number of arms found in Aceh, or the armory where they came from.

A group of armed men allegedly stole hundreds of assault rifles during a raid on Jan. 4 from an armory in the Muslim- dominated southern Thai province of Narathiwat. Four soldiers died in the attack.

However, Thai Rath - a Thai-language daily newspaper - reported on Wednesday that the weapons disappeared from the armory several weeks earlier. Quoting unidentified government sources, the report said the raid was used as an excuse to cover up the loss. It claimed the weapons were also smuggled to Aceh.

Thaksin refused to comment on the report, saying he does not want to talk about security issues. "I know a lot, but do not want to speak now," he said.

The Free Aceh Movement, which has fought for independence since 1976, has said previously most of its weapons are either stolen from Indonesian troops or bought in the black market.

Aceh has about 5,000 rebels, mostly equipped with automatic rifles and other assault weapons.

Thailand's long coastline, porous borders, modern infrastructure and corruptible officials, combined with a history of gun-running since regional conflicts of the 1950s, has made it an ideal location for weapons traders and buyers.

But last May, Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said after a meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri in Jakarta that there was no indication of arms smuggling from Thailand to Aceh.

Thaksin and his chief lieutenants have blamed this year's string of attacks in the restive south on Islamic separatist groups whose members are believed to be hiding out in forested areas bordering Malaysia.

But Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, the deputy premier responsible for national security, said those responsible were bandits connected to corrupt local authorities and politicians bent on protecting illicit trades like smuggling.

"Those troublemakers were local influential people with good connections to national politicians, and are involved in vice and crime and have tried to conquer state authority," Chavalit said.