Killers believed to have fled to Burma

By Bangkok Post and AFP

The vehicle used by gunmen who shot dead a key member of the Karen National Union (KNU) this week has been found abandoned near the border with Burma.

Forensic police in Tak are searching for any evidence from the black pick-up that could help police discover who was behind the assassination of KNU general-secretary Pado Mahn Shar Lapan, who was shot dead at his home on Thursday in Mae Sot district.

Two gunmen stormed his residence and shot him dead while a driver was waiting in the pick-up.

Police suspect the gunmen then fled across the border, dumping their truck at Ban Wang Pa in Mae Ramat district. Police said the truck had a Bangkok licence plate.

Mae Sot police chief Pol Col Phossawat Taengjui said police will seek help from the Burmese authorities once they know the names of those suspected of being involved in the assassination.

Mahn Shar was the third most influential figure in the KNU with close ties to former leader, the late Gen Bo Mya.

The KNU is the largest rebel group fighting Burma's armed forces.

Military-ruled Burma's state media yesterday warned of further attacks by ethnic insurgents, following the assassination.

The New Light of Myanmar, which like other official media has remained silent on the killing of Mahn Shar, said rebels were plotting more bomb attacks in some ''important places.''

''According to the information received recently, internal and external destructive elements are scheming together to detonate bombs again in some important places and busy places in the nation,'' the daily said.

State-run newspapers, radio and TV channels have ignored the death of the rebel leader, who was also a critical link between the rebels and Burma's pro-democracy movement.

Burma has been hit by a series of small bomb blasts and rebel shootings since December, prompting the ruling junta to blame the KNU for the attacks.

Burma, under military rule since 1962, has signed ceasefires with 17 other ethnic armed groups, but the KNU is one of the few remaining ethnic insurgent groups yet to sign a peace deal with the junta.