ID :
57124
Thu, 04/23/2009 - 20:06
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https://oananews.org//node/57124
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Thai army chief: Army ammunition used in botched bid to kill Sondhi
BANGKOK, April 23 (TNA) - Thai Army chief Gen. Anupong Paochinda admitted on Thursday that some of the ammunition used in last Friday’s attempted assassination of Sondhi Limthongkul, leader of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), belonged to the army, and pledged to take serious action against those involved in providing the bullets.
Mr. Sondhi survived an assassination attempt last Friday when at least five gunmen fired a hail of bullets into his car as he was being chauffeured to work. Police investigators said 64 AK-47 cartridges were recovered, 16 M-16 cartridge casings and 17 SK cartridge casings were found at the crime scene.
Gen. Anupong revealed that according to an investigation carried out by police and the Army Ordnance Department, 20 of the spent bullets were from army stocks --17 SK shell casings and three M-16 cartridges distributed in the First Army Area.
The army chief said an investigation will be carried out the as the First Army Area covers many sub-agencies in Bangkok and some central provinces.
“As I have been informed, the specific ammunition was used during army field training. To identify where it comes from is very difficult as up to ten thousand (rounds of) ammunition are distributed each time,” the army chief said.
Gen. Anupong said any soldier found to be involved in the case would face harsh punishment.
Meanwhile, PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila said after visiting Mr. Sondhi at hospital, the PAD leader would reveal information next week about the failed assassination. Mr. Sondhi has said he could remember all the incident's details and the identities of the gunmen. (TNA)
Mr. Sondhi survived an assassination attempt last Friday when at least five gunmen fired a hail of bullets into his car as he was being chauffeured to work. Police investigators said 64 AK-47 cartridges were recovered, 16 M-16 cartridge casings and 17 SK cartridge casings were found at the crime scene.
Gen. Anupong revealed that according to an investigation carried out by police and the Army Ordnance Department, 20 of the spent bullets were from army stocks --17 SK shell casings and three M-16 cartridges distributed in the First Army Area.
The army chief said an investigation will be carried out the as the First Army Area covers many sub-agencies in Bangkok and some central provinces.
“As I have been informed, the specific ammunition was used during army field training. To identify where it comes from is very difficult as up to ten thousand (rounds of) ammunition are distributed each time,” the army chief said.
Gen. Anupong said any soldier found to be involved in the case would face harsh punishment.
Meanwhile, PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila said after visiting Mr. Sondhi at hospital, the PAD leader would reveal information next week about the failed assassination. Mr. Sondhi has said he could remember all the incident's details and the identities of the gunmen. (TNA)
