Thai police team heads to Malaysia after bombing suspects arrested there

BANGKOK, September 15 (TNA) -- Head of police investigators in the Bangkok’s bombing is going to Malaysia after the Malaysian police have said have arrested three people -- a Pakistani man and two Malaysians – as suspects of the deadly attack. Thailand’s police chief Somyot Phumphanmuang said on Tuesday although it could not be confirmed that the three were involved in the incident he had ordered deputy national police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda to go to Kuala Lumpur to work with the Malaysian counterparts. Pol Gen Chakthip would exchange information with Malaysian police, he said. Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar on Monday was quoted saying "We are assisting Thai police regarding this probe. We feel these three (people) can assist us in the investigation." So far, Thai authorities have arrested three suspects linked to a bomb attack in Bangkok on August 17 while 12 people have been issued arrest warrants. An alledged mastermind of the bombing Abu Dustar Abdulrahman, or "Izan" implicated by Meiraili Yusufu, one of the arrested suspects, is believed to have flown to Bangladesh and later to Turkey. Police has sought cooperation from their Turkish counterparts. Pol Gen Somyot also said police believed the bombs resulted from the recent crackdown on human-traffickers and the attackers were part of Turkish human-trafficking ring. Referring to Turkish protesters storming Thai consular office in Istanbul, Pol Gen Somyot said the two incidents were caused by the same motive. The Thai authorities handed over 100 Uighur illegal migrants arrested in Thailand to China earlier this year; the move that caused anger among some Turkish who regard Uighurs of sharing ethinic and linguisitc identities. On Monday, Corrections Department officials transferred the two bomb suspects Yusufu and Adem Karadag, from the Min Buri Court to the 11th Military Circle's Infantry Battalion, citing security reason. (TNA)