Bangkok:Five Thai madarsa students arrested in Pakistan for trying to smuggle a pistol and ammunition aboard a flight to Bangkok are suspected of having links to local militants and the Islamic State (IS) terror group, media reported. Thai security officials are now questioning the families of the five Muslim men, who are in their early 20s and were studying at a religious school in Swat, Bangkok Post quoted intelligence sources as saying.
A 9mm pistol, bullets and magazines were found in their luggage as they checked for a Thai Airways flight at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, a security official said. The Bangkok-bound flight TG-346 was to leave on Monday night when security officials offloaded the five Thai passengers.