Thai investigators link army to Japanese cameraman's death

Thai official investigators Saturday said troops were involved in the deaths of a Japanese cameraman and 12 civilians during an army crackdown on rallies in Bangkok last year and called for new inquiries.

Reuters/Sukree Sukplang

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) said it had sent the case back to police to probe, contradicting a statement in February that soldiers were not to blame for the death of Hiroyuki Muramoto, of the Reuters news agency.

More than 90 people, most of them civilians, died in the unrest in April and May 2010. Both the military and anti-government Red Shirt protesters have accused each other of using live ammunition.

This is the first DSI statement on the high profile case since Yingluck Shinawatra's  government, which is allied to the Red Shirts, came to power last month.

Investigators initially concluded that Muramoto might have been killed by the military during clashes between troops and protesters.

But later they said police evidence suggested the bullet was from an AK-47 assault rifle or similar firearm, which are not used by the Thai military.

In February the Bangkok Post reported claims that the DSI head had been visited by a senior army figure to complain about the initial department finding that soldiers could be behind the deaths.

Officials deny the claim.

But Tarit has denied that the army or government interfered in the probe.

On Saturday, DSI chief Tarit Pengdith said police would send the cases of the 13 civilians toprosecutors, who would then take them to court for another inquiry.

Reuters welcomed the move.