A senior Funcinpec official said Sunday the government wants to question five Funcinpec military officers about last year’s B-40 rocket attack in Siem Reap.
A letter dated Sept 17 was sent to the five by military officials in Siem Reap ordering generals Lay Virak, Sok Phal and Khun Roeun to report to authorities there for questioning, according to Fun cinpec security adviser Serey Kosal.
Serey Kosal also said that two former Son Sann Party members, Kuy Chan Mony and Doung Sokhan, have been called in for questioning. Kuy Chan Mony also was called for questioning by army intelligence chief Mol Roeup, Serey Kosal said.
But Mol Roeup denied asking to question the Funcinpec official, saying there was no investigation into the party.
General Bung Sen, the commander in Military Region 5 who is supposed to be questioning the Funcinpec officers, could not be reached for comment.
Several Funcinpec officials said they had heard rumors of the pending questioning but could not confirm the existence of a letter sent to the generals.
Both Funcinpec Secretary-General Tol Lah and Prince Sisowath Sirirath, co-minister of defense, said they would have to speak with other party members before being able to confirm the government’s alleged move.
If true, the questioning would mark a widening of the government’s probe into the rocket attack, which Prime Minister Hun Sen described as an assassination attempt against himself.
In September 1998, B-40 rockets were fired at a convoy carrying Hun Sen and other politicians, including opposition party leader Sam Rainsy. A bystander was killed.
Two Sam Rainsy Party members were arrested earlier this month in connection with the attack, which Hun Sen’s political opponents claim was orchestrated by his supporters to justify a crackdown on opposition party members.
Sam Rainsy has maintained the most recent arrests are part of an intimidation campaign against his party, and that the government has little evidence against the two suspects, one of whom was in jail in Battambang at the time of the rocket attack.
Sam Rainsy said Sunday he would speak with King Norodom Sihanouk today about the arrests and what he called continuing threats against his party members.
