ID :
101827
Fri, 01/22/2010 - 17:32
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Bangkok Military Court: Police can detain Maj-Gen Khattiya's aide
BANGKOK, Jan 22 (TNA) – Bangkok’s Military Court granted police permission to detain Sgt-Maj Natthasit Suwanraj, aide of Army Maj-Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol, a prime suspect in the M79 incident at Royal Thai Army headquarters.
Sgt-Maj Natthasit, 50, an armoured squad leader in the 3rd Cavalry Squadron was detained Thursday after joint action by national police and military police searching for evidence regarding the grenade incident and found a cache of unauthorised military grade weapons and ammunition in his room and vehicle.
The military judge considered the request from police investigators and approved a 12-day police detention of Sgt-Maj. Natthasit for investigation. However, if the probe is not complete, police can request authority to detain the suspect as many as seven times, 12 days at a time.
If the investigation is not complete within 84 days, the suspect must be released.
Two suspected accomplices, Pvt Manaschai Khamporn and Ekkalak Wisetwongsa who were taken into custody at Gen Khattiya's house at the 4th Cavalry Squadron compound Thursday were also taken to the criminal court to seek permission to detain them for investigation.
Police said Pvt Manaschai and Mr Ekkalak, aides who are caretakers for the general’s home, did not implicate any other people.
Police are seeking Gen Khattiya for questioning and intelligence indicated he is still in Songkhla.
Sgt-Maj Nattasit earlier said the military ordnance belonged to him, as he had collected weapons for 20 years, making his purchases in the border province of Sa Kaew.
He said the two spent M79 casings found at his room were collected at Army training grounds in Lopburi. Never, he asserted, did he let anyone borrow from his collection.
The Bangkok Military Court ordered the transfer of the non-commissioned officer to detention at the 11th Military Circle in Nakhon Pathom.
Meanwhile, Acting National Police Chief Pol Gen Patheep Tanprasert awaited the investigation report attempting to assess whether the arms and ammunition seized at Maj-Gen Khattiya's residence and from his aide were tied to the Army headquarters' attack.
The police chief said police were gathering evidence to support a request to the court for an arrest warrant for Gen Khattiya--also known as
"Seh Deang"-- for possession of illegal weapons.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Gen Khattiya had violated the law by possessing illegal weapons, but could not say the seized arms were connected with the attack.
Mr Abhisit said the authorities must wait for the results of the investigation.
Gen Khattiya, who denied involvement, was reportedly in Hat Yai, scheduled to return to Bangkok Friday morning, but did not come to at the airport.
An Army spokesman on Wednesday confirmed that a grenade incident took place last week and affected the sixth floor of army headquarters, but said the projectile was not aimed at the army chief's office. (TNA)
Sgt-Maj Natthasit, 50, an armoured squad leader in the 3rd Cavalry Squadron was detained Thursday after joint action by national police and military police searching for evidence regarding the grenade incident and found a cache of unauthorised military grade weapons and ammunition in his room and vehicle.
The military judge considered the request from police investigators and approved a 12-day police detention of Sgt-Maj. Natthasit for investigation. However, if the probe is not complete, police can request authority to detain the suspect as many as seven times, 12 days at a time.
If the investigation is not complete within 84 days, the suspect must be released.
Two suspected accomplices, Pvt Manaschai Khamporn and Ekkalak Wisetwongsa who were taken into custody at Gen Khattiya's house at the 4th Cavalry Squadron compound Thursday were also taken to the criminal court to seek permission to detain them for investigation.
Police said Pvt Manaschai and Mr Ekkalak, aides who are caretakers for the general’s home, did not implicate any other people.
Police are seeking Gen Khattiya for questioning and intelligence indicated he is still in Songkhla.
Sgt-Maj Nattasit earlier said the military ordnance belonged to him, as he had collected weapons for 20 years, making his purchases in the border province of Sa Kaew.
He said the two spent M79 casings found at his room were collected at Army training grounds in Lopburi. Never, he asserted, did he let anyone borrow from his collection.
The Bangkok Military Court ordered the transfer of the non-commissioned officer to detention at the 11th Military Circle in Nakhon Pathom.
Meanwhile, Acting National Police Chief Pol Gen Patheep Tanprasert awaited the investigation report attempting to assess whether the arms and ammunition seized at Maj-Gen Khattiya's residence and from his aide were tied to the Army headquarters' attack.
The police chief said police were gathering evidence to support a request to the court for an arrest warrant for Gen Khattiya--also known as
"Seh Deang"-- for possession of illegal weapons.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Gen Khattiya had violated the law by possessing illegal weapons, but could not say the seized arms were connected with the attack.
Mr Abhisit said the authorities must wait for the results of the investigation.
Gen Khattiya, who denied involvement, was reportedly in Hat Yai, scheduled to return to Bangkok Friday morning, but did not come to at the airport.
An Army spokesman on Wednesday confirmed that a grenade incident took place last week and affected the sixth floor of army headquarters, but said the projectile was not aimed at the army chief's office. (TNA)
