Malaysia sees no JI link to attacks

Officials have been divided over who to blame for the violence

Malaysia's prime minister has said he has seen no evidence that recent violence near the Thai-Malaysian border was linked to international terrorism.

Abdullah Badawi arrived in Thailand on Friday for security talks following the attacks, which killed six people.

A Thai government security advisor has blamed the violence on a group he says has links to al-Qaeda and the regional Islamic group, Jemaah Islamiah (JI).

But Thai officials have also blamed bandits or local separatist groups.

Mr Abdullah said Malaysia had no information that the attacks were the work of al-Qaeda or JI, which has been blamed for the Bali bombings in 2002 and other attacks.

"If there is, I would have been informed," he said in an interview with the Bangkok Post.

"If it is linked to JI, then all of us in the region would be very concerned about it. Everybody, not just Malaysians and Singaporeans, but the Indonesians and Filipinos, would be very worried," he said.

SOUTHERN THAILAND Home to most of Thailand's 4% Muslim minority Muslim rebels fought the government up to the mid-80s Area beset by poverty and poor relations between local communities and officials Thailand wakes to separatist threat

He pledged that his government would continue to co-operate with Thailand in calming the situation.

Thailand and Malaysia began patrols along their common border last week and three southern Thai provinces have been put under martial law.

On Thursday, the Thai authorities announced they had issued arrest warrants for four men accused of carrying out the attacks in the country's south.

Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh called them "ringleaders" behind the violence.

Six people died in the attacks earlier this month, which included a raid on an arms depot and bomb attacks.

Police have linked the wanted men to Muslim separatist groups that have operated in the region for years.

There were identified by police as: Masae Huseng, Karim Kalumpung, Wae-ali Choper Vaki and Nasori Saesaeng, also known as Awae Kaelae.

The warrants accuse them of treason, armed robbery and associated crimes.

A BBC correspondent who recently visited the south says few local people believe separatists were responsible for the attacks, although they admit small groups are still operating.

Four soldiers were killed in the 4 January attack on an army camp in Thailand's southern Narathiwat province.

Simultaneously, 21 government-run schools were set on fire. Two police officers were killed in two bomb attacks that followed.