Poor intelligence blamed after attacks on mobile phones antenna towers

Published on Jan 20 , 2006

Justice minister criticised intelligence agencies for failing to anticipate the latest surge in militant violence,

as three more people were killed in the deep South.

Two men were shot dead by suspected Islamic militants late Thursday, one in Narathiwat

and one in neighboring Pattani, police said.

The third man, 62-year-old Mano Benyazine, accidentally blew himself up as he attempted to set a bomb

at a cell phone tower in Narathiwat, police said.

The blast came after hundreds of militants set dozens of phone antenna

towers ablaze overnight Wednesday, in attacks officials said could be reprisals

forgovernment restrictions on cell phones in the region.

Justice Minister Chidchai Vanasathidya said the militants had recruited

hundreds of teenagers for the arson attacks on some 100 cell phone towers, and

accused intelligence agencies of failing to anticipate it.