The historic Krue Se Mosque came under gunfire yesterday morning on the third anniversary of the deaths of 32 militants who came under a hail of rockets and assault-rifle fire after hours of holding out in the building.

No one was wounded in yesterday's attack, but police were quick to blame the separatists for it.

Local Muslims were conducting morning prayers inside when two men drove up in a sedan and fired at least seven rounds at the building.

"Opening fire on a holy mosque is a desperate act of insurgents which is meant to arouse anger among Muslim brothers," Army spokesman Akra Thiprot said.

The attack came on the third anniversary of the day when government forces gunned down at least 106 insurgents, including some at Krue Se, who were believed to have been motivated by supernatural powers as they charged 11 police outposts with little more than machetes.

Wareuma Waredoloh, chief of the village where the mosque is located, was quoted as saying about two dozen Muslims had been holding pre-dawn prayers when men drove up in a car and started firing.

"I think the gunmen merely wanted Muslims to remember the incident three years ago, and that's why they fired at the mosque," Wareuma said. "Actually, people are trying to forget that incident. We are here today to pray for peace, pray for an end to violence."

Elsewhere in the volatile deep South, men on motorcycles shot dead a member of the Chang Puerk Tambon Administration Organisation (TAO) in Narathiwat's Chanae district. Samsuding Hayeeyuzoe, 38, was attacked as he was heading home from a market. His 12-year-old daughter, who was riding on his motorbike, was not hurt.

In Yi-ngor district, Adul Manamudor, 45, a member of the Taporyoh TAO, took three bullets as he travelled along a village road.

Late Friday, a 70-year-old man in Pattani was reportedly shot dead by men on a motorcycle.

In Narathiwat a combined force of 200 soldiers and police raided nine locations, netting three out of the nine men wanted.

Colonel Manote Ananpertakul, commander of Rangae district police, urged the six other suspects to surrender, promising them due process of law.

The Nation

Pattani