Cambodia agrees to return bomb plotters to Thailand

By Ek Madra

PHNOM PENH, June 12 (Reuters) - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen agreed on Friday to allow two Thai Muslims convicted of plotting attacks on Western embassies in Phnom Penh in 2004 to serve the rest of their prison terms in Thailand.

The deal was agreed during a meeting on Friday between Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart Abhisit Vejjajiva, Information Minister Khieu Kanharith told Reuters.

The two Thais and a Cambodian, who were linked to the Southeast Asian militant group Jemaah Islamiah (JI), were given life sentences by a Cambodian court in December 2004 for plotting to bomb the U.S. and British embassies in Phnom Penh.

Chiming Abdul Azi, Muhammadyalludin Mading and Cambodian Sman Esma El were found guilty of colluding to attack the missions along with Hambali, the suspected JI mastermind of the 2002 Bali bombings that killed 202 people.

Hambali remains in U.S. detention since being handed over by Thailand after his capture in the central city of Ayutthaya in 2003.

Kanharith said several Cambodians serving prison sentences in Thailand would be returned as part of the deal.

"Hun Sen told his Thai counterpart that he would send the two convicted Thais to serve their punishment in Thailand and vice-versa," he said.

Kanharith said the transfers could take some time because Thailand and Cambodia have no extradition agreement.

The two leaders also pledged to settle a long-running dispute over the 900-year-old Preah Vihear temple, which has been a source of tension between the two countries for generations.

Two Thai soldiers were killed and nine wounded in April in a clash with Cambodian troops near the temple, which the International Court of Justice awarded to Cambodia in 1962, without ruling on the ownership of the disputed land around it.

"They gave assurances that armed conflicts would not take place at the border near the temple," Ieng Sophalleth, a Cambodian government spokesman, told reporters.

Hun Sen and Abhisit also said they would work to settle a maritime dispute over a potentially oil and gas-rich patch of the Gulf of Thailand, which both countries have claimed jurisdiction over, Sophalleth said. (Editing by Martin Petty and Jeremy Laurence)

Why is Kasit allowed to visit Thais jailed for terrorism in Cambodia?

FM to visit Thais jailed of terrorism charge in Khmer prison

Sun, January 25, 2009
The Nation

Phnom Penh--Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya arrived here this evening to begin a two-day visit focusing on revitalizing Thai-Cambodian relations.

He will have a full program tomorrow with a scheduled bilateral discussion with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong in the morning.

After the discussion, he will meet the two Thai religious teachers at the Phnom Penh Prison who were arrested in 2003 and now are serving a life sentence on terrorist charges.

Kasit plans to seek royal pardons for Muhammad Yalaluding and Abdul Azi Haji Chiming in the bilateral talks. The foreign minister will be joined by their spouses from Yala.

The Thai Embassy here has already requested a pardon from Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni but it will take time.

On Monday, he will pay several courtesy calls to Cambodian leaders including Prime Minister Hun Sen (Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen) and presidents of both upper and lower houses, Same dech Akka Moha Thamma Pothisal Chea Sim and Samdech Akka Moha Ponchea Chakrei Heng Samrin respectively.

The familiarization trip is aimed at restoring the Thai-Cambodian friendship which dated back several centuries. The ties have been soured due to the disagreement over the 7th century Hindu temple known as Phra Viharn in Thai or Preah Vihear in Cambodian.

Kasit will have an audience with King Sihanomuni tomorrow's afternoon and later on makes a sightseeing tour of Silver Pagoda inside the Royal Palace.

Trade between the two countries amounted to US$1.8 billion last year from US$1.4 billion in 2007.

From 1986-2008, Thailand has provided a grant of 1.2 billion baht and a soft loan totaled 2.2 billion baht for infrastructural development projects. Other assistances also include technical cooperation and training in various fields.

Kasit Piromya to seek pardon to Thais convicted terrorists in Cambodia

Thai nationals Muhammad Yalaludin Mading (2nd R) and Abdul Azi Haji Chiming (R) are escorted by Cambodian police into the Supreme court in Phnom Penh on March 12, 2008. Cambodia's Supreme Court upheld life sentences for three Muslims convicted of plotting terror attacks against the British embassy and a United Nations agency in the capital Phnom Penh. (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)

Pardon sought for Thais convicted terrorists in Cambodia

January 24, 2009
By Supalak Ganjanakhundee The Nation

Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya will seek royal pardons for two religious teachers who were jailed for life in Cambodia on terrorist charges.

Muhammad Yalaluding and Abdul Azi Haji Chiming, both from Yala province, received life sentences in December 2003 on charges of helping the regional terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) plot a terrorist attack in Cambodia.

Kasit will meet the two teachers with their families during a visit to Phnom Penh tomorrow and Monday, said Foreign Ministry deputy directorgeneral for East Asian Affairs Pisanu Suvanajata.

The Thai embassy in Phnom Penh has already requested a pardon from Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni, but it will take time, he said.

They were arrested in May 2003 with Egyptian Esam Mohammed Khidr Ali, who was acquitted of the same charge due to lack of evidence.

Cambodian law allows a pardon when prisoners have served more than onethird of their jail terms.

The five years they have served is long enough for this, Pisanu said. Thailand cannot request prisoner transfer since Bangkok has no agreement on this with Cambodia, he said.

The men were arrested after Singaporean JI operative Arifin bin Ali, who was arrested in Bangkok in May 2003, alleged that they were members of the terror group and had helped plan an attack.

The same allegation by Arifin led to the arrest of four Thai Muslims in Thailand, including wellknown physician Waemahadi Waedao. The four were later acquitted of plotting attacks on Bangkok embassies.

Thai wives want convict husbands to serve time here

Thursday March 13, 2008
BANGKOK POST and AFP

The wives of two Muslim Thais jailed in Cambodia for plotting terror attacks in Phnom Penh want their husbands to do time here. Cambodia's Supreme Court yesterday upheld life sentences for three Muslims convicted of plotting terror attacks against the British embassy and a UN agency in Phnom Penh. Cambodian Sman Ismael and Thais Abdul Azi Haji Chiming and Muhammad Yalaludin Mading were sentenced in 2004 to life in prison by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court for plotting attacks there between 2002 and 2003.

Asisa Haji Chiming, 33, and Muhammad's wife, Parida, 42, said they planned to petition to have their husbands extradited. The wives said they also planned to seek a royal pardon if their husbands were moved back.

Mrs Asisa said the husbands worked as religious teachers in Cambodia because the job earned good pay.

''But they were accused of being terrorists and planning to stage attacks,'' she said.

She and Mrs Parida said that while they respected the court's verdict, it appeared to have been passed to appease the US.

The wives said they had tried without success to secure their husbands' return over the years.

The Supreme Court said there was strong evidence which proved the three convicts had helped Islamic militant Hambali, allegedly a key member of the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah network, plan the strikes.

Hambali spent months in Cambodia before being captured in Thailand in 2003.

He was later handed over to US authorities and is now being held at the US military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The three men have repeatedly denied the charges against them.

The wives yesterday discussed the issue with representatives from Working Group on Justice for Peace, the human rights advocacy group chaired by Angkhana Neelaphaijit, wife of missing Muslim lawyer Somchai.

Mrs Parida said life without her husband has been miserable because she had to raise their three children alone and shoulder expenses from travelling back and forth to visit her husband in Cambodia.

In Songkhla, security will be boosted until Saturday to prevent possible attacks to mark the founding of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional Coordinate militant group.

Road checkpoints have been set up on main roads between Chana district and the three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani, and Narathiwat.

In Yala, Manapee Mateha, 36, a villager, was killed by a gunman in Betong district on Tuesday on his way home after evening prayers.

In Narathiwat, Thewan Tipprakhon, 30, a volunteer ranger, accidentally shot himself dead in Rueso district yesterday. He triggered the shot as he fell asleep holding the rifle close to his head.

Muslims convicted of plotting terror attacks in Phnom Penh

Thai nationals Muhammad Yalaludin Mading (2nd R) and Abdul Azi Haji Chiming (R) are escorted by Cambodian police into the Supreme court in Phnom Penh on March 12. Cambodia's Supreme Court upheld life sentences for three Muslims convicted of plotting terror attacks against the British embassy and a United Nations agency in the capital Phnom Penh. (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)
Thai national Abdul Azi Haji Chiming (R) is handcuffed with Cambodian Sman Ismael (L) as they walk out of the Supreme court in Phnom Penh on March 12. Cambodia's Supreme Court upheld life sentences for three Muslims convicted of plotting terror attacks against the British embassy and a United Nations agency in the capital Phnom Penh. (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)