BANGKOK, June 1 (UPI) -- Islamic militants in southern Thailand Tuesday raided a Buddhist shrine in an apparent effort to create sectarian conflict in the predominantly Muslim area.
The shrine was located near the mosque where military forces gunned down more than 30 young militants in April, RTHK reported.
About 20 men broke into the Lim Ko Nhieo shrine in Pattani before dawn, smashing lamps and furniture. No one was reported hurt.
The shrine is popular among ethnic Chinese Buddhists from Thailand and Malaysia.
It is also a symbol of conflict between Buddhists and Muslims, as it is dedicated to a Chinese woman whose brother converted to Islam and built the Krue-sae Mosque next door, against his sister's wishes. As the tale is told to tourists, she killed herself and cursed the mosque.
Police are concerned that militants may be using such myths to promote separatism. Thailand's southern militants have long wanted a Muslim state separate from the predominantly Buddhist country.
