"Men in black" arrested, attack re-enacted (updated Saturday)

On Friday, four male "men in black" suspects, arrested in connection with the violence that led to the killing of soldiers near Democracy Monument in April of 2010, were taken to the Khok Wua intersection where they re-enacted their activities. PM Prayuth Chan-ocha says he knows the names of everyone involved.

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Saturday update: "I know who they are"

From our online reporters

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has warned people behind the fatal attacks during the political unrest to "be prepared" and turn themselves in because he has all of their names in his hands.

The coup leader said he had the names of the supporters and financiers of the violent attacks in 2010 as well as those in 2013 and this year, and he urged them to report to authorities. Some are inside the country and some had fled abroad, he added.

"You would be shocked and surprised if I revealed the names of those who provided support for the acquisition of such weapons, including their financing," he said.

"Be prepared. When all the evidence and witnesses are ready, you will be prosecuted," he told his targets. "You'd better turn yourself in."

Friday: Attack re-enacted

Today, police took the four male "men in black" suspects in their custody to the Democracy Monument area to re-enact their activities during the night of April 10, 2010.

According to our reporter Aekarach Sattaburuth, they showed the police where they were dropped off by a van in front of Wat Mahannaparam Vihara on Tanao road near the Khok Wua interesection with Ratchadamnoen Avenue. From there they allegedly used M16 rifles and M79 grenade launchers to attack soldiers on the road.

Aekarach also reported that deputy national police chief Somyot Phumpanmuang on Friday defended the arrests of the four men and one woman.

He said they had confessed to police to being behind the attacks on soldiers and civilians on the night of April 10, 2010 and here was sufficient evidence to convince the Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for the five suspects..

"They are not scapegoats," he told reporters.

Saturday update

Here are more details from our reporters on what the suspects told police at the re-enactment:

The suspects allegedly said they received weapons from a house on Ram Intra Road before they went to Ratchadamnoen Avenue where troops were preparing to disperse the crowds.

In yesterday’s re-enactment, they showed police where they were allegedly dropped off by a van on Tanao Road near Khok Wua intersection, before using rifles and M79 grenade launchers in an attack as they tried to get to Khok Wua intersection.

Mr Kittisak and Mr Preecha were allowed into the protest site after they gave the guards a pass code. Mr Chamnan managed to slip through on his own. Mr Ronnarit was the van driver.

Once they were among the red-shirt protesters, they allegedly opened fire on troops at a checkpoint and gathered at a meeting point where they were picked up by the van.

Pol Gen Somyot said the suspects would be taken to the Criminal Court today where police would seek court permission to hold them longer for questioning.

Friday: New information

Here is more information from yesterday's press conference:

The five suspects, one of them a woman, were actually arrested on Tuesday. Only the men were presented to the media yesterday.

The group initially met to plan the attack on April 8, two days before the violence took place. The group was led by a man named Jakkarin or "Sae Kai". There is an arrest warrant out for his arrest.

The group did not receive weapons training and they had no particular targets. According to deputy national police chief Gen Somyot Phumpanmuang, another, more professional group, was involved in the killing of the soldiers, including Col Romklao Thuwatham.

Deputy national police chief Gen Somyot Phumpanmuang said that one of the group members who was carrying a M79 grenade launcher was actually stopped by police near the Khok Wua intersection, but the crowd forced his release.

Thursday's reports

Note: See below for updates

Breaking: 5 "men in black" arrested, involved in 2010 killing of Col Romklao

Post Today is reporting that police have arrested five men who have admitted involvement in the violence that led to the killing of soldiers near Democracy Monument in April of 2010, including Col Romklao Thuwatham.

The men have implicated two others and police are hunting for them, said Deputy national police chief Somyot Phumpanmuang this morning. They have been held and interrogated at the Region 1 police headquarters and are being moved to the National Police headquarters for a press conference, Pol Gen. Somyot added.

He said the arrest clearly shows that the infamous "men in black" did indeed exist.

Five solidiers were killed in the clash on April 10, 2010 near Khok Wua intersection during attempts to clear red-shirts from the Democracy Monument area.

Updates

13:50

The Bangkok Post has just reported that police have named the five men arrested and the two being sought.

They are Bangkok residents Kittisak Soomsri, 45, Chamnan Phakeechai, 45, and Punnika Churi, 39; and Preecha Yuyen, 24 of Chiang Mai, and Ronnarit Suricha, 33 from Ubon Ratchathani. They were taken into custody Tuesday and the arrests were announced Thursday by Provincial Police Region 1 officials. They were charged with illegally carrying and using guns, bullets and bombs.

Arrest warrants were also issued for Thanadet Ek-apiwat, 39 of Bangkok's Laksi district, and Watthanachoke Chinpui, 23 of Chon Daen district in Phetchabun province, whose whereabouts remain unknown, said deputy national police chief Gen Somyot Phumpanmuang.

16:05

There is now more from the Thai language media:

The Manager website quotes Deputy national police chief Gen Somyot Phumpanmuang as saying those arrested had ties to red-shirt activist Kritsada Khunsaen. She, of course, was detained by the military for three weeks after the coup. She has since fled the country and accused the military of torture during her detention. 

Pol Gen Somyot said she was involved in procurring weapons for the men and that they have many money transfers implicating her.

Matichon reports Nicha Thuwatham, wife of the late Col Romklao has thanked investigators for arresting those involved in the killing of her husband and the other soldiers. She said she hoped this would lead them to the masterminds behind the men in black. She said she was neither happy nor sad over the day's events because nothing would bring her husband back.

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