Another suspect in the killings of two Thai marines in Narathiwat's Rangae district on Sept. 21 has been arrested, the Bangkok Post Sunday reported.

Police identified Pree Tanilu, 28, as a son of the owner of thetea shop at which people fired guns on Sept. 20. Two people were killed and three others wounded in the shooting. The shooting prompted villagers to take Sub-Lt Vinai Nakhabut and Petty OfficerKhamthon Thong-iat hostage. The two were tortured, beaten and killed the next day, after fruitless day-long negotiations betweenthe authorities and villagers.

Pol Lt-Gen Adul Saengsingkaew, Region 9 police chief, said police had obtained evidence that Pree took part in the capture ofthe marines. The captors also damaged a car owned by Vinai and putsand in the car's fuel tank.

After the incident, Pree fled to a relative's house in Tambon Taluban in Sai Buri district of Pattani where he was arrested. Buthe denied involvement, the report said.

Police have issued arrest warrants for 36 people suspected of being involved in the tea shop shooting and the killing of the twomarines. Sixteen of the suspects have been arrested or have surrendered.

Pol Lt-Gen Adul was quoted as saying that the incident at the tea shop was actually not intended to kill anyone but to draw soldiers and police to the scene where they were expected to be captured by angry villagers.

"Judging from the M-16 bullets found at the scene, the spiral marks on them indicated that they were fired from the same M-16 rifle that was used in an attack that killed a soldier in Narathiwat in December last year," Adul said.

Camouflage uniforms and berets of the two marines and two knives, which were buried near a fish pond, have also been found at the house of another suspect, Useng Salaelu.

Source: Xinhua