Police are seeking the indictment of seven suspects charged with possessing war weapons, including a former deputy commander of the 3rd Army Region Lt Gen Manas Paorik, who is thought to have supplied weapons to the so-called men in black.
The Crime Suppression Division (CSD) yesterday submitted a report seeking the indictments to prosecutors.
The CSD laid charges against seven people of possessing the weapons without a permit following the confiscation of caches of war weapons in Lop Buri's Muang district and Samut Sakhon's Krathum Baen district in May and in Ayutthaya's Wang Noi district in June.
The seven are Lt Gen Manas, Somjate Kongwattna, Jirawat Orachunka, Pakkaphum Kosinanont, Aphichart Puangpeth, Peerapong Sinthusonthichat and Wattana Sapwichien.
Four other alleged accomplices still on the run are fugitive former PM's Office minister Jakrapob Penkair, Krissana Thapthai, Chaiwat Polpo and Jakkarin Ruangsakwichit. Arrest warrants have
been issued.
CSD deputy chief Pol Col Prasobchoke Prommoon said prosecutors will consider whether to indict the suspects.
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Somyos Pumpanmuang had instructed investigators to quickly arrest the suspects still at large.
Pol Col Prasobchoke stressed this case is important as it can be linked with other security cases, which are being probed separately.
Asked whether Lt Gen Manas was linked to the "men in black" who allegedly used war weapons to attack soldiers and demonstrators during the April 10, 2010 clash between red shirts and military troops, Pol Col Prasobchok said the investigation found he supplied weapons to the people who carried out the attacks.
Police could not conclude, however, whether he was also financing their activities.
Lt Gen Manas was an adviser to the Yingluck Shinawatra government and a classmate of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.