Thai court declines police request to issue arrest warrants for key opposition leaders 6 weeks before election

from The Nation:

PAD leaders targeted for arrest

Court declines to issue arrest warrants, seeks clarification of charges from police

Eight leading members of the People's Alliance for Democracy yesterday were targeted for arrest over their anti-government roles during months of mass rallies, but the Criminal Court declined to issue the warrants pending a hearing today.

Maj-General Chatchawal Suksomchit, deputy Metropolitan Police chief, was reported to have asked the court to issue arrest

warrants for the eight PAD members.

Police claimed that the suspects tried to incite political upheaval after they held a series of rallies across the country, attacking the government and Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra with their allegations.

The PAD members are Suriyasai Katasila, Karun Sai-ngam, Rosana Tositrakul, Pian Yongnu, Suwit Watnu, Chaiwat Sinsuwong, Ouaychai Watha and Sirichai Mai-ngam.

The court said it had considered the police's request and decided to seek clarification today from Chatchawal on the justification for the request and charges against the PAD members before concluding if the arrests were warranted.

Nitithorn Lamlua, an attorney for the eight PAD members, earlier reported to police seeking to have all charges against his clients dismissed. He claimed that the effort by police to charge the PAD members with endangering national security and practising sedition was illegal.

Police had earlier booked charges against two groups of leading PAD members, including Sondhi Limthongkul, Chamlong Srimuang and Chirmsak Pinthong.

Suriyasai said police were serving the government in an attempt to stop a new round of the PAD movement before the election.

He insisted that the PAD's activities were constitutional.[ed. I fully agree, and wonder how the police can justify waiting 6 months after the protests to try to have the leaders arrested]

Rosana said she and the others would fight all the way through the legal process if the court issued the arrest warrants.