CAR BOMB PLOT: The Criminal Court on Tuesday found nine young men guilty of conspiring to stage car bomb attacks in the capital two years ago.
All university students from the Muslim-majority south, they were given jail terms ranging from four to six years. Five suspects were acquitted. Their lawyer disputed the ruling, saying his clients were tortured into making false statements during military detention.
They were among more than 40 people swept up in an October 2016 mass arrest targeting Muslim students in eastern Bangkok. The raids followed police intel warning that southern separatists were plotting to stage an attack, possibly involving car bombs, at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport.
While the rest were released without charge, 14 were later charged with possessing explosives and criminal conspiracy. They were denied bail.
Defense lawyer Kitja Ali-issaho vowed to appeal. Kitja also said some of the defendants were tortured while in military custody, and statements obtained during the questioning were used against them in court proceedings.
