Cambodian monks charged with terrorism

At least seven people died in the gunbattle

Two Buddhist monks have been arrested and charged with terrorism, court officials in Phnom Penh said.

Veng Sothy, 35, and Kol Saroth, 31, were charged as accomplices in a group that led a failed attack on government offices in the capital in November last year.

Monks have legal immunity in Cambodia

Officials said the monks carried membership cards of the Cambodian Freedom Fighters (CFF), the group which led the shootout.

Security forces battled with a group of about 50 attackers for an hour in the gunbattle, which left seven rebels dead.

More than 50 people have since been tried in connection with the attack, which officials say was an attempt to unseat Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Defrocked

The monks were arrested on Thursday at a prominent Phnom Penh pagoda.

I have charged two monks today with forming an illegal armed group and terrorism

Court prosecutor Yet Chakriya

They were defrocked early on Friday, clearing the way for charges to be filed on the same morning, court prosecutor Yet Chakriya said.

Buddhist monks have legal immunity from criminal prosecution in Cambodia, a a predominantly Buddhist country.

Monks are meant to forgo worldly pleasures and avoid politics while following a spiritual path.

'Not active' in CFF

Veng Sothy, a temple abbot, told reporters at the court that initially, he didn't know what the CFF was when he allowed two members to stay at the pagoda.

The gunbattle lasted one hour

But he became a member because "they promised to donate to the temple."

"It is now up to the court. I was not active in the movement, only provided places to [stay for] their fighters," he added.

He said he refused to do propaganda work for the rebels.

The other monk, Kol Saroth, said he was tricked and did not initially know that the group was anti-government.