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UPDATED NEWS ON THE HOSTAGE CRISIS



Subject: UPDATED NEWS ON THE HOSTAGE CRISIS AT THE BURMESE EMBASSY IN BANGKOK

Ongoing Hostage  Crisis at the Burnmese Embassy in Bangkok
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10:23pm 1st October
 By Julien Moe

Twelve  gunmen holding hostages in the Burmese embassy in Bangkok on Friday
fired at least 10 gunshots to provide cover for their compatriots to replace
a Burmese flag from a mast in the compound with one of their own,  another
flying a red background with a yellow bird imprinted on it. The gunmen were
carrying  eight AK-47 rifles and 20 hand grenades.  Nearly 200 Thai
policemen from the anti-terrorist police squad rushed to the area near the
embassy in downtown Bangkok. ABSDF released a press statement saying they
have nothing to do with the incident. Gunmen demanded the release of all
political prisoners. KNU also said they have nothing to do with the
incident. Among the hostages taken were the Burmese Ambassador, Burmese
embassy officials and a few foreigners.The group demanded that the Burmese
Government enter into talks with the opposition and convene a democratic
parliament. The  armed men who stormed the Burmese embassy in Bangkok and
took at least 30 people hostage, including diplomats and more than 12
foreigners, are demanding to be flown to the Thai-Burma border. The group
called itself "Vigorous Burmese Students Warriors".Thai authorities paused
in negotiations Saturday with a dozen armed Myanmar dissidents, who took
over their country's embassy in Bangkok hours earlier and seized about 40
hostages, including several diplomats and foreigners. The talks were halted
after the sides met well into the early morning hours. They were expected to
resume but it wasn't immediately clear when. he hostage-taker, who described
himself as a 29-year-old student named Preeda, said early Saturday morning
that he and the other students distrusted the Thai government, and if a
helicopter was not provided, they would ``have to do something,'' which
could include killing hostages. 

He did not say there was an explicit threat to kill Burmese hostages every
half-hour if the aircraft didn't come, as some of his comrades had been
quoted saying. It was not clear if the threat was serious or even
communicated to the authorities.The Thai authorities said they would not use
force.

Sources: AP,AFP,Reuters.