Update: Teacher-niece of insurgent leader murdered
Pattani (BangkokPost.com, TNA)
Southern insurgents today shot and killed a Muslim female teacher, later found to be the niece of a senior separatist gang leader in the South. Police speculate the killing was a case of mistaken identity.
Saina Mayamae, shot dead by a suspected insurgent on her way to school in Pattani's Saiburi district Wednesday morning, was a niece of Bersatu separatist group leader Wan Kadir Che Man.
The victim was travelling to school with four teacher colleagues by pick-up truck.
Police believe the gunman intended to kill a driver but the bullet missed the target and hit Ms Saina in the head.
Bersatu is a gang formed in the late 1970s, and members took part in the last separatist uprising declared against the Bangkok government. The exact influence of Bersatu and similar 1980s gangs on today's insurgency is unclear.
Somnuk Meesaeng, director of the Education Zone 1 office, expressed condolences to the victim's family.
He said that no one expected the attack on Muslim teachers who were local residents, so they travelled to school without a teacher protection unit. After the attack, he said officials have to revise the existing security measures to protect Muslim teachers as well as Buddhists.
However, all schools remain open as usual.
Meanwhile, Issama-ae Jeha, a suspect in involvement in an insurgent case will be released on bail on Wednesday evening, Korpor district chief Boonpat Raknui said.
Local villagers staged several protests since his detention last week, demanding that police release him unconditionally.
Among the women and children protesters, however, soldiers have detained Abdul-a-si Salae for questioning as he was disguised as a woman for the protest.