Bullet that killed Fabio came from near govt troops: court

The high-velocity bullet which killed Italian photojournalist Fabio Polenghi during the May 19, 2010 crackdown on red-shirt protesters came from the side of the Army, the Criminal Court said yesterday. However, the court said it was unclear who killed Polenghi.

"It is believed that the bullet which killed the deceased came from the direction of [army] officers who were moving to take control [of Ratchaprasong Intersection] from Sala Daeng area [of Silom] … but it's unclear as to who did it," part of the inquest finding stated.

The court said the bullet was most likely a .223 high-velocity bullet used by soldiers from the Second Calvary Unit stationed in Sala Daeng as troops were authorised to also use live bullets that included .223 bullets on that day, the judges said.

The bullet shattered Polenghi's liver and lung, said the judges, who added that there was no evidence that anyone but the army had such weapons in the area on that day.

Elisabetta Polenghi, sister of the slain photojournalist, said after the inquest that there was no "closure" for the tragedy yet since no one had been held responsible. She said that while she did not want the killer or the person who ordered the use of live ammunition to be sentenced to death or even to prison, she wanted some form of accountability.

"I don't want to put anyone in a bad prison," Polenghi, who came to Bangkok with her mother and sister from Italy to listen to the result of the inquest, in reference to the bad conditions in Thai jails.

"Fabio was a journalist, so my fight, part of it is for you [Thai] journalists," Polenghi told a big group of Thai reporters and cameramen in front of the Southern Criminal Court.

Karom Polpornklang, a lawyer hired by Elisabetta Polenghi, said the matter would now go the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) for criminal investigation though the family may have to ensure that the DSI does not ignore or delay the investigation.

Shawn Crispin, Southeast Asia representative of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), called the ruling a "positive first step in a long road to achieve justice."

Crispin added that the results of the inquest will put former premier Abhisit Vejjjajiva, his deputy Suthep Thaugsuban and the army leadership in the "hot seat".

Mike Bach, a journalist friend of Fabio for 25 years, based in Germany, was also at the court yesterday, having flown to Bangkok for the eighth time to follow the inquest. He said: "It's not important to know who fired the shot but to find the people responsible [for ordering] and the chain of command."

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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/05/30/bullet-that-killed-fabio-came-from-near-govt-troops-court/