PATTANI : Police have issued arrest warrants for four people suspected of shooting dead the highly respected Imam Yacob Raimanee of the Pattani Central Mosque.
Commander of Pattani provincial police, Ekkaphop Prasitwattanachai, said the warrants were issued following video footage obtained from Chabang Tiko market in tambon Chabang Tiko in Pattani's Muang district that captured images of four suspects riding on two motorcycles.
Pol Maj Gen Ekkaphop said two pillion riders got off the motorcycles and fired shots at Imam Yacob as the imam was travelling in a white Pajero car.
Imam Yacob was killed at 4.40pm on Monday while riding in the car with members of his family along Yarang Road in tambon Chabang Tiko in Pattani's Muang district.
The Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) yesterday called on non-governmental organisations in the deep South to condemn those who shot dead the imam.
Imam Yacob's death was a great loss for Muslims in the far South as he had dedicated himself for their benefit, Pramote Promin, spokesman for the 4th Region Forward Command of Isoc, said.
He said Imam Yacob supported a peaceful dialogue aimed at ending the violence in the region.
"We're sorry about the loss of Imam Yacob," he said. "His death was a great loss for his family, relatives and Muslim people. We want those working with non-governmental organisations to condemn those who shot him to death."
NGOs should also take a stance against all forms of violence, he added.
Col Pramote called on members of the public to report all suspicious incidents to the authorities on the 1341 and 1881 hotlines around the clock.
Imam Yacob was nearly killed in 2010. Gunmen had tried to shoot him in front of his house in Pattani, but missed.
Working Group on Justice for Peace chairwoman Angkhana Neelapaijit said she had known Imam Yacob for a long time. She said he was highly respected in Muslim society.
Those who killed Imam Yacob wanted to create a climate of fear among Muslims who supported the government's attempts to hold peace talks with the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), said Ms Angkhana, whose husband Somchai, a Muslim lawyer, disappeared several years ago.
"Other Islamic religious leaders in Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat should not sit idle after the death of Imam Yacob," she said.
"They should come out to condemn the use of violence and those who killed him. They should express their stance against groups that use violence to solve problems," she added.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra also condemned the murder, calling it sorrowful. Imam Yacob played a key role in helping develop areas in the deep South, she said.
Ms Yingluck said she had instructed security officers to bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible.
Imam Yacob's wife, Waeroh-feeah Raimanee, said she is now the family's breadwinner and must take care of their two children on her own.
The imam's son, Burahan Raimanee, said he will study hard and become a good person to honour his father.
Lt Gen Paradorn Pattanatabut, secretary-general of the National Security Council, yesterday said he had asked Malaysia about a report that BRN negotiator Hassan Taib had stepped down but the peace talks facilitator denied it, saying the BRN had not announced this.
