Suspect In Bangkok's Deadly Bomb Attacks Involved In Previous Politically Motivated Bomb Attacks - Thai Police

By Minggu Simon Lhasa BANGKOK, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Thai authorities have not ruled out domestic politics as the motive behind the bomb attacks in Bangkok in the middle of last month, although the crackdown on human trafficking may also be the motive. One of the suspects who is still at large, Yongyuth Pobkaew, is believed to have been involved in politically-motivated bomb attacks in 2010 and 2014, said Royal Thai Police Chief Police General Somyot Pumpanmuang. "We have not defamed anyone because we have evidence in that direction and the facts obtained by the investigation officers," Somyot explained to a group of reporters here Monday. He said the investigation team found evidences that linked Yongyuth who has no Thai identification number, to the bomb attacks near Erawan shrine and Sathorn pier in Bangkok last month. Yongyuth is the link of the bomb attacks in August and two other bomb attacks during major Thai political conflicts, at Minburi district in Bangkok in 2014, and at Samanmeta mansion in Nonthaburi province in 2010, Somyot said, adding that further investigations were required to determine whether it is linked to domestic politics or not. "That is why I have said this case is the case of two groups who have the same goal. One group could use another group, and thereafter they could gain the benefit together," he said. Previously, there have been speculation that the bomb attacks have links to Thai politics and Thai authorities crackdown on human trafficking, but the often mentioned motives have been the deportation of Uighur to China earlier this year. Meanwhile, Thai police spokesman Police Lieutenant General Prawuth Thavornsiri said in the attack this time, Yongyuth was in charge of providing support and preparation of bomb-making materials. There are 15 suspects still on the run, comprising 13 foreigners and two Thais, Yongyuth and Wanna Suansan, a 26 year old Thai woman who married a Turkish man. On the same development, Thai police officially announced the identities of two men believed to be responsible for the two separate bomb attacks in Bangkok last month. The yellow shirt man who was responsible for the deadly attack near the Erawan shrine at the Ratchaprasong intersection in central Bangkok on Aug 17 was identified as Bilal Mohammed, while the blue shirt bomber at the Sathorn pier a day later has been identified as Zubair. Bilal, previously known as Adem Karadag, was arrested on Aug 29 at Poonanan Apartment in Nong Chok district, Bangkok, after police traced his phone calls, said Somyot. Bilal was initially arrested for possession of bomb-making materials and a stack of empty fake Turkish passports. The arrest of Bilal led to the arrest of a second key suspect in the case, Yusufu Mieraili, a Muslim from Xinjiang, China. Yusufu was captured in the Thai-Cambodia border areas in Aranyapratet district, Sakaew province, on Sept 1 when he attempted to escape to Cambodia. However, Zubair, the blue shirt bomber responsible for the bomb attack at the Sathorn pier in Bangkok, is among the 15 suspects wanted by the authorities but yet to be arrested, said Somyot, adding that two of the suspects are Thai nationals. The bomb attack near Erawan shrine killed 20 people, including five Malaysians and left 130 other people injured. Meanwhile, Thai deputy police chief Police General Chakthip Chaijinda said Bilal did not flee from Thailand after the bomb attack as he was waiting for the money from the mastermind of the attack. --BERNAMA