Thread: Bangkok: Three explosions rock Sukhumvit 71, Iranian injured

^He was rather irritating, I muted it anyway

These Annoying Brits you meet abroad Pat ?

How does the commentator in that vid compare ?

Tourism sector worried by terror threat | Bangkok Post: news

Tourism sector worried by terror threat

• Published: 15/02/2012 at 03:47 PM
• Online news: Local News

The private sector has called on the government to explain the bomb explosions in central Bangkok yesterday to the foreign media, warning that the tourism industry could be heavily impacted.

Ittipan Khaolamai, head of the Ayutthaya tourism association's public relations service, said on Wednesday that news of the three bomb explosions in the Sukhumvit road area yesterday afternoon had spread throughout the world.

European countries had again warned their citizens of possible terrorist attacks in Thailand, he said. This would have a severe impact on tourism

"The government must quickly explain the situation to the foreign media because if the government is slow with its response, even for a day, it could be too late to get foreign tourists back here," Mr Ittipan said.

In Ubon Ratchathani, police beefed up security measures to head off any possible attacks.

Ubon was one of the towns listed in the travel warning issued by the British government yesterday to its citizens in Thailand in the wake of the bomb explosions in Bangkok.

"You should exercise caution, especially in the cities of Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani," the warning said.

Ubon Ratchathani police chief Surapol Kaewkhao said stringent security checks were being carried out on foreign travellers at the provincial airport, train stations, bus terminals, electricity and waterworks offices, and oth er public areas.

"Preparations have been made and if there's a violent incident, a forensic team will be brought in immediately," said Pol Maj Gen Surapol.

Suspect denies bomb links | Bangkok Post: breakingnews

Suspect denies bomb links

• Published: 15/02/2012 at 08:57 PM
• Online news:

The Iranian suspect arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport has denied any involvement in Tuesday's bombing incident, a police source said.

Mohummad Hazaei, 42, told police investigators that he did know Saeid Moradi. Mr Moradi, 28, was arrested and hospitalised Tuesday afternoon after he was seriously injured following a series of bomb attacks on Sukhumvit 71.

Mr Hazaei, who was detained at the airport for his suspected involvement with the case, claimed he met Mr Moradi in Malaysia before boarding a plane to Thailand. He also denied that he was a suspect caught by surveillance cameras as a possible bomber.

Authorities suspect Mr Moradi and Mr Hazaei of planning a bombing attack against Israeli diplomats in Bangkok. Materials seized by Thai police today were found to be similar to that used in a bombing earlier this week in New Dehli, which Israel has also blamed on Iran.

Arrest warrants out for 4 Iranians | Bangkok Post: breakingnews

Arrest warrants out for 4 Iranians

• Published: 15/02/2012 at 08:54 PM
• Online news:

The South Bangkok Criminal Court officially approved warrants for the arrest of four Iranians suspected to have been involved in the bomb explosions in Bangkok on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday.

Pol Maj-Gen Ronnasilp Phusara, chief investigator of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said the four are Saeid Moradi, 28, Mohummad Hazaei, 42, Masoud Sedaghat Zadeh, 31, and a woman, Rohani Leila, 32.

Saeid Moradi lost both his legs in one of the explosion and is now being treated at Chulalongkorn hospital.

Mohummad Hazaei was arrested at Suvarnabhumi airport on Tuesday night. He was being detained at immigration police headquarters. His visa has been cancelled but he had been charged.

Masoud Sedaghat Zadet was still at large. Police said he flew to Malaysia on a 10.20pm flight on Tuesday.

Miss Leila arrived in Thailand with the three men. She was the person who rented the house in Soi Pridi Banomyong 31 off Soi Sukhumvit 71 where the first explosion occurred. She was believed to have left the country.

WTF!!

I wonder if all this has anything to do with Iranian scientists exploding in Iran.

Israeli ambassador says Thai bombs similar to ones used in India, Georgia attacks - The Washington Post

Israeli ambassador says Thai bombs similar to ones used in India, Georgia attacks

By Associated Press,
Updated: Wednesday, February 15, 9:15 PM

BANGKOK — Israeli officials ramped up accusations Wednesday that Iran was launching covert attack plots, saying “sticky” bombs found in a Thai house rented by Iranians were similar to devices used against Israeli diplomats in India and Georgia.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the violence, while Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast called the allegations “baseless” and said Israel was trying to damage his country’s relations with Thailand and fuel “conspiracy” theories.

Thailand’s government was trying to determine what three Iranian men were plotting when a cache of explosives detonated accidentally in their home in Bangkok’s busy Sukhumvit Road area a day earlier. Bomb disposal teams combed the Iranians’ house again Wednesday looking for more evidence, while security forces were searching for an Iranian woman they said had originally rented it.

Two of the men were detained in Bangkok on Tuesday after fleeing the destroyed house, while a third was arrested Wednesday in neighboring Malaysia after boarding a flight from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur overnight.

Israel has accused Iran of waging a campaign of state terror and has threatened military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Iran has blamed the Jewish state for the recent killings of Iranian atomic scientists and has denied responsibility for all three plots this week.

On Monday in New Delhi, an explosion tore through an Israeli diplomatic vehicle, wounding the driver and a diplomat’s wife, according to Indian officials. On the same day in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, authorities say attackers planted an explosive device on the car of a driver for the Israeli Embassy, but it was discovered and defused before it went off.

“If this aggression isn’t halted, ultimately it will spread to many other countries,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in Israel’s parliament Wednesday.

He convened his Security Cabinet to discuss terrorisms against Israel and “Iran’s involvement in repeated attempts to attack Israeli targets,” his office said.

Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Itzhak Shoham told The Associated Press in an interview that after Tuesday’s blasts, Thai police found and defused two magnetic bombs that could be stuck on vehicles.

“They are similar to the ones used in Delhi and in Tbilisi,” Shoham said. “From that we can assume that there is the same network of terror.”

That and the arrest of the two Iranians in Thailand “again leaves not too much room to assume who was behind it,” Shoham said.

Late Tuesday, Israel’s Channel 10 TV quoted unidentified Thai authorities as saying the captured Iranians confessed to targeting Israeli interests.

However, Thai security officials told a news conference they had little information about who the alleged attackers were or their possible targets.

National Security Council chief Wichean Potephosree said the government had not yet determined if there was any link between the events in Bangkok, New Delhi and Tbilisi.

“We haven’t found any links but we are still investigating,” Wichean said. “We admit there was a magnetic component, aiming at individuals, but the origin of the magnets still has to be investigated.”

Thailand should just waterboard the survivors and get to the botttom of it before a BTS train is blown off the tracks.

Bomb plot deepens - The Nation

Bomb plot deepens

Agencies, The Nation
February 16, 2012 1:00 am


Iran, Israel play blame game over Bangkok blasts; Surapong: No link yet to terrorism; Travel advisories by US, UK, NZ, Canada, the Netherlands, Aust, Brazil, Japan, Norway, Ireland

Iran and Israel dropped diplomatic bombshells on each other yesterday, accusing one another of being behind Tuesday's bomb blasts in Bangkok.

Israel was quick to implicate Iran in the bomb incidents. "The attempted attack in Bangkok proves once again that Iran and its proxies are continuing to act in the ways of terror and the latest attacks are an example of that," Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said.

But Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast denied his country was involved in any of the cases and said Tehran condemned any "terrorist action". He told the official IRNA news agency: "The aim of the Zionist regime's claims is to overshadow the assassination of Iranian scientists."

The Iranian spokesman also accused Israel of "trying to harm the friendly and historic relations between Iran and Thailand".

Also yesterday, the United States - a close ally of Israel - condemned the blasts in Thailand's capital and suggested they may be linked to Iran.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the US was awaiting the results of investigations. She offered condolences to those injured.

'Iranian-sponsored links'

Nuland did not blame Irandirectly. But she noted Monday's incidents in India and Georgia, and recent "Iranian-sponsored" and "Hezbollah-linked" plots to attack Israeli and Western interests in Azerbaijan and Thailand. She called it "reprehensible" for states to use terrorism as a foreign policy tool.

Thai authorities are holding two Iranians in connection with the three explosions in Bangkok on Tuesday.

One of the men, named as 28-year-old Saeid Morati according to a passport found in his possession, lost both his legs when he tried to hurl an explosive device at police while fleeing an earlier blast at a house in the Sukhumvit area. The other Iranian was detained as he tried to board a flight out of Thailand. A third suspect who fled to Malaysia was arrested at Thailand's request.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul yesterday said Thai authorities have not described Tuesday's incident as an act of terrorism. But he urged terrorist groups not to include Thailand in their plots.

"At the moment, there is no evidence linking this incident to terrorism. So far the arrested [men] are accused of illegal use of explosives and of attempting to kill others and officials on duty," Surapong said. "Personally, I believe the incidents in Georgia, India, and Thailand have no connection."

He added, however, that: "I would like to ask people who think of plots harmful to Thailand to stop them. And I ask terrorists not to use Thailand as their base."

The foreign minister called his press conference yesterday after 10 foreign countries issued travel ad-visories for their citizens following the blasts. They are the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, the Netherlands, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Norway, and Ireland.

Surapong meets us ambassador

Surapong said the US ambassador to Thailand, Kristie Kenney, had called him on Tuesday evening to ask for details about the blasts. The US Embassy later issued a warning advising American citizens to be careful when travelling in Thailand.

"I thank Ambassador Kenney for calling first. That allowed me an opportunity to explain the situation and the actions by the Thai authorities aimed at restoring foreigners' confidence," he said.

The foreign minister had earlier expressed his disappointment over a warning last month by the US Embassy about possible terrorist attacks in Bangkok.

Suspects meant to kill Israeli envoys, says Thai official - The Nation

Suspects meant to kill Israeli envoys, says Thai official

The Nation February 16, 2012 1:00 am


The three Iranian suspects in the Bangkok blasts are an assassination squad targeting Israeli diplomats, including the ambassador, a senior Thai intelligence official said yesterday.

One of their many methods was to attach magnetic bombs to diplomats' cars, the source told Agence France-Presse on condition of anonymity.

The source and AFP did not give details on who or which countries were behind the suspects' plan to strike against Israeli interests in Thailand.

The report corresponds well with foreign analyses pointing to an act of state-supported attack, or evidence being gathered indicating terrorism, but Thai authorities were attempting to play the incidences down both on Tuesday when they occurred and again yesterday.

An arrest warrant has been issued for an Iranian woman, Rohanni Laila, who entered Thailand on the same day as the three male suspects now in Thai and Malaysian police custody.

The Bangkok South Criminal Court has approved arrest warrants for all three male suspects following prescribed criminal procedures. They can now be placed under Interpol, if necessary.

Wichean Potephosree, secretary-general of the National Security Council, at a high-profile news conference yesterday said the attacks were not sabotage and not related to last month's arrest by Thai authorities of Lebanese man Artris Hussein, who has Swedish nationality, as a terror suspect.

The local blasts had no connection with similar attacks in India and Georgia, he said, although Israel has said they were ordered by Iran and had common links to the incident near Sukhumvit Soi 71 in Bangkok.

"The US statement did not link the incidents in India and Georgia to the ones in Thailand. It only said whenever the incidents in other countries occurred, it indicates that the attacks could still be conducted in similar fashion elsewhere," he added.

The second suspect, Mohammad Hazai, 42, was caught at Suvarnabhumi Airport late on Tuesday when he was about to board a flight to Malaysia.

The third suspect, Masoud Sedaghatzadeh, 27, managed to escape on an AirAsia flight, also on Tuesday evening, to Malaysia. However, Malaysian authorities yesterday detained the Iranian man at about 3pm in Kuala Lumpur at the request of Thai authorities. The suspect was about to leave the Malaysian capital for Tehran. He initially booked a February 25 flight for the Iranian capital.

Earlier deputy police chief Pansiri Prapawat said Sedaghatzadeh departed Bangkok for Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday afternoon.

Asked why Thai authorities were playing down the attacks and their likely links to transnational terror operations while foreign governments and media channels were indicating otherwise, Wichean did not answer, appearing grim and tense.

National Police chief Priewpan Damapong said separately that the use of explosives in Tuesday's attack was "similar to a bomb incident in India".

The three Iranian men were plotting to kill certain individuals but not to destroy any structures in Thailand, |he said, giving no sources of |information or analytical reference.

Originally Posted by sabai sabai

These Annoying Brits you meet abroad Pat ?

How does the commentator in that vid compare ?

Given the circumstances, this guy was quite calm. Even when the Iranian guy tries to move his bloodied stumps.

Iranian badly injured in bombing stripped of residence status - The Nation

Iranian badly injured in bombing stripped of residence status

THE NATION February 16, 2012 1:00 am

An Iranian man arrested in connection with Tuesday's blasts in Bangkok has been stripped of Thai residence status, Immigration Police chief Pol Lt-General Wibool Bangthamai said yesterday.

Saeib Morabi, who lost his legs in the incident, is being treated at Police General Hospital.

Police investigators visited him yesterday and, when evidence is available, will likely charge him with attempted murder, attempted murder of policemen on duty, possessing explosives and firearms without permission, and causing damage through explosions, a police source said.

A second suspect in police custody, Mohammad Hazai, 42, arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport late on Tuesday, has not been charged with any offence.

Israel's ambassador to Thailand, Yitzhak Shoham, said Morabi was connected to a terror network behind recent bombing incidents in India and Georgia, relying partly on explosives of the kind found in the rented house in Bangkok.

Israeli authorities, through a Bangkok-based mission, are seeking details of the bomb-assembly system used with the magnetic explosives found in the home rented by the three suspects, said Bangkok police chief Pol Lt-General Winai Thongsong.

Three US Embassy officials were present at the rented house in Soi Pridi Banomyong 36 off Sukhumvit 71 Road, and had 30-minute talks with Thai police personnel.

According to police sources, two improvised bombs found at the house were in the form of portable radios, stuffed with C-4 explosives. Hand grenades with the safety lever removed were inserted in the radio units to be used as the detonator.

Small metal balls were also put in the units intended as shrapnel. There were six flat round metal plates with a diameter of 2 centimetres attached beneath the radio bomb units, each weighing about 2 kilograms.

Contrary to media reports that Morabi used two hand grenades while on the run, police sources said he used two radio bomb units, out of a stock of five. One went off in the first accidental explosion in the rented house, two were used by him and two others were found in the house.

The radio bombs went off five seconds after their grenades were activated. They had a blast radius of about 40 metres and kill radius of about 3-5 metres, the sources added.

Originally Posted by StrontiumDog

They had a blast radius of about 40 metres and kill radius of about 3-5 metres, the sources added.

Hand grenade kill radius of only 3-5 meters, thought more than that.