Police: Two Festival Bomb Plot Suspects At Large
By Prak Chan Thul
THE CAMBODIA DAILY
Police are seeking two more suspects in the alleged plot to detonate explosives during the Water Festival to try to undermine the government, the director of the Interior Ministry's anti-terrorism department said Friday.
Bith Kimhong's announcement came as a rights worker claimed that most of the six men already arrested over the plot belong to Funcinpec and the CPP.
"There are still two more people that we are looking to arrest. They are all Khmers. One of them is the ring leader," Bith Kimhong said. "They don't love the government and they want to topple the government."
Bith Kimhong said he did not know whether any of the suspects are affiliated to any political party.
"We don't know where they came from," he said.
The six men already arrested were charged with conspiring to commit acts of terrorism at Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday.
Chan Soveth, an investigator with local rights group Adhoc, said two suspects arrested in Svay Rieng province belong to Funcinpec, while three more from Banteay Meanchey and Kandal provinces are CPP card-carriers.
Only one suspect, who was arrested in Siem Reap, does not belong to a political party, he said.
"The families said they do not know what their husbands did outside home but they all completely denied [the allegations]," he said.
Funcinpec spokesman Nouv Sovathero said he was unaware of Funcinpec members being among the suspects and declined further comment.
Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said the arrests should ensure safety during the Water Festival.
"We don't even want to have necklace and purse snatchings," he said. "Please enjoy the Water Festival together."
The US Embassy issued a warning message on Friday warning Americans in Phnom Penh to take extra precautions during the festival to avoid general crime.
Embassy spokesman Jeff Daigle said the warning, which the embassy did not issue last year, is not related to the alleged plot.
"If you become aware that a crime has been committed and or that police are taking enforcement action, leave the area quickly. Criminals and police are quick to resort to deadly force," the warning states. "Unpredictability is your best weapon. Vary your routes and times, not only to work, but also while you move around town," it advises.
Municipal Police Chief Touch Naruth said violence is no more likely to occur in Phnom Penh than it is in the US. He added that he will do his best to ensure security throughout the festival.
(Additional reporting by Erik Wasson)
Bith Kimhong's announcement came as a rights worker claimed that most of the six men already arrested over the plot belong to Funcinpec and the CPP.
"There are still two more people that we are looking to arrest. They are all Khmers. One of them is the ring leader," Bith Kimhong said. "They don't love the government and they want to topple the government."
Bith Kimhong said he did not know whether any of the suspects are affiliated to any political party.
"We don't know where they came from," he said.
The six men already arrested were charged with conspiring to commit acts of terrorism at Phnom Penh Municipal Court on Tuesday.
Chan Soveth, an investigator with local rights group Adhoc, said two suspects arrested in Svay Rieng province belong to Funcinpec, while three more from Banteay Meanchey and Kandal provinces are CPP card-carriers.
Only one suspect, who was arrested in Siem Reap, does not belong to a political party, he said.
"The families said they do not know what their husbands did outside home but they all completely denied [the allegations]," he said.
Funcinpec spokesman Nouv Sovathero said he was unaware of Funcinpec members being among the suspects and declined further comment.
Interior Ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak said the arrests should ensure safety during the Water Festival.
"We don't even want to have necklace and purse snatchings," he said. "Please enjoy the Water Festival together."
The US Embassy issued a warning message on Friday warning Americans in Phnom Penh to take extra precautions during the festival to avoid general crime.
Embassy spokesman Jeff Daigle said the warning, which the embassy did not issue last year, is not related to the alleged plot.
"If you become aware that a crime has been committed and or that police are taking enforcement action, leave the area quickly. Criminals and police are quick to resort to deadly force," the warning states. "Unpredictability is your best weapon. Vary your routes and times, not only to work, but also while you move around town," it advises.
Municipal Police Chief Touch Naruth said violence is no more likely to occur in Phnom Penh than it is in the US. He added that he will do his best to ensure security throughout the festival.
(Additional reporting by Erik Wasson)
3 comments:
For KI. Another way of interpreting the report is that the ruling party seems to play a fair game when they are prepared to also arrest their own members.
SiS
Hello,
My hunch on this "terrorist act" is the CPP had probably pulled this political operation scheme, only that they had chosen to painted on their own members as to obfuscate and confuse the public.
We, or at least I have learned that under the Hun Sen Gov't., anything could turn upside down within seconds. The Hun Sen gov't. administration can choose to blow smoke at the public anytime they want to. Initially, any political chaotic event happens in Cambodia seem speculative at the beginning, but as times passing by, the truth reveals.
DON'T WE'RE ALL REMEMBER THE 1997 GRANADE ATTACKED?
THE LAW SUIT IS STILL PENDING. IT IS TOTALLY UP TO THE WASHINGTON TO REVISIT THE CASE.
Nowaday, one important political issue that needs to remember is "Terrorism". It is not only happen in any country but it happens in any country in the world. It should be the top national and international political agenda, and the Hen Sen gov't. is slowly learning to strategize their scheme to invite more MR. GREEN from the U.S. and from the world bank.
Good day,
Somlor Ma-Chou Yuon Leay . .
It is a "hoak" started by Hun Sen gov't. So, this Ganster Gov't can make an arrest of the opposition parties. Hun Sen GANGSTER Gov't learned this trick from Uncle HO.
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