| Pattani Islamic Mujahideen Movement | |
|---|---|
| Gerakan Mujahidin Islam Patani | |
| Leaders | Nasoree Saesang |
| Dates of operation | 1995 (1995) – present |
| Active regions | Southern Thailand |
| Ideology | Separatism Islamism |
| Opponents | Thailand |
| Battles and wars | South Thailand insurgency
|
Preceded by Gerakan Mujahidin Patani | |
ThePattani Islamic Mujahideen Movement (Malay:Gerakan Mujahidin Islam Patani;GMIP) is anIslamist militant insurgent group that has carried out violent actions as part of the protractedinsurgency inSouthern Thailand.
GMIP is hostile to the practices of moderate Malay Muslims, accusing them of being un-Islamic. It is one of the most extreme terrorist groups currently operating in Southern Thailand.[1] A shadowy leader named 'Jehkumir Kuteh' or 'Abdul Rahman Ahmad', among other names, was assumed at a certain point to lead the group, andThailand's prime minister demanded fromMalaysia hisextradition in January 2005, but the Malaysian government refused.[2][3]
Originally, in the 1990 decade GMIP had the establishment of a localIslamic state inPattani as its main agenda. However, according toThai military authorities, this group and theBarisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) were revived after 2001 by theTrengganu-basedKumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia and have currently morehard-line Islamic political goals, to the detriment of their formernationalist cause.[4] Its members are now believed to have sympathies withAl Qaeda and with the establishment of theIslamic Caliphate.[1]
Unlike previous Islamic insurgent groups of the region, the characteristic of this outfit in its new avatar is that it attacks forcefully and does not claim responsibility, and also that it keeps its leadership shrouded in secrecy. GMIP was accused by theThai authorities as the main instigator of theseries of bombings, drive-by shootings and machete attacks in Southern Thailand that began in January 2004.[1]
Although its headquarters are unknown, many of the operations of the GMIP suggest that it is rural-based. The Thai military have linked the GMIP to attacks on convoys and policemen in roads crossing rural districts.[5]
This terrorist group has also been suspected by Thai officials of being behind the2006 Hat Yai bombings[6] as well as more recently the2012 Southern Thailand bombings.[7]
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