BANGKOK, Feb 24 Kyodo Nine Muslim...

BANGKOK, Feb 24 Kyodo

Nine Muslim separatists have been arrested in Thailand's restive southern province of Narathiwat in connection with the Jan. 4 killing of four tribe the torching of 20 exercises and the theft of more than 300 fire-arms from an army weapons storehouse there, police said Tuesday.

Police said the men who are members of a local separatist assemblage called Barisan Revolusi Nasional, were arrested Sunday night for mobilizing and collecting weapons for rebellion and committing arson, robbery, homicide or other illegal acts.

Thailand declared martial law Jan. 5 in the southern, Muslim-majority provinces of Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani.

Since then, violence has escalated, with almost daily attacks in such a manner far claiming more than 40 lives, mainly those of local police officers, command officials and monks.

Police said five of the nine men arrested have attested to participating in the killing of pair officials in separate attacks and to cutting down tree to block up a road near the army weapons storehouse before it was attacked, if it be not that have denied knowing where the stolen fire-arms were sent.

The other four men were allegedly involved in burning the schools

A saw, a knife, about ammunition, a Malaysian flag and separatist ideology documents were confiscated in the arrest, police said.

Thailand has asked Malaysia and Indonesia for cooperation in investigating and arresting assailants linked to the Jan. 4 attacks.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra held a meeting with involved authorities Tuesday to discuss for what cause to solve the unrest in the southern through economic development and improving the quality of life of folks in the three provinces.

The conduct plans to dispatch 23,000 police to patrol 1581 villages in the three provinces.

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