From left: Terror suspects Awae Wae-ya, Muhamad Hanafi Yah, Nor Farkhan Mohd Isa and Muhamad Faizal Muhamad Hanafi (Source: www.straitstimes.com) Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan announced that Awae Wae-ya, a Thai man suspected to have links with the self-claimed Islamic State (IS), has been arrested.
The official revealed the information during a meeting with Thailand’s security agencies on April 19. However, he did not disclose when and where Awae was caught.
[Thailand admits IS cell may be in country]
Awae Wae-ya, 37, was said to be captured by Thai army in Cho Airong district of southern Thailand. Local authorities are investigating the suspect. He was among four “dangerous” men wanted by Thai and Malaysian police for plotting to set up IS cells in south Thailand.
The other three suspects are Malaysian nationals, namely Nor Farkhan Mohd Isa, 31, from Skudai, Johor, along with Muhamad Hanafi Yah, 51 and Muhamad Faizal Muhamad Hanafi, 29, from Kampung Ketil, Pengkalan Kubor.
According to Thai authorities, two of the three suspects have never travelled to Thailand, while one of them came to the country three years ago.
Prawit also affirmed that Thailand had foiled the plot to establish an IS network in southern region and hoped that Malaysia would hand over information on IS or other security-related issues to Thailand.-VNA
