Bangkok Bombing No Link With New Delhi, Tbilisi Attacks

By Jamaluddin Muhammad BANGKOK, Feb 15 (Bernama) -– There is no link between yesterday's bombing incidents in Bangkok and the bomb attacks in New Delhi and Tbilisi on the same day, according to initial investigations by the Thai authorities. Despite this, Thai National Security Council Secretary-General Wichien Potposri said the authorities must further investigate the matter as Bangkok could not escape from the impact of the current international tension (between Israel and Iran). "Our investigations have also found that the two suspects carrying Iranian passports were not on any terrorist blacklist," he told a press conference after an urgent National Security Council meeting here Wednesday. Three bombs rocked Bangkok yesterday, including an incident where a man carrying Iranian passport lost his legs when a bomb he hurled at a police patrol car, ricocheted and struck him at Sukhumvit 71 Road here. Four Thais were also injured in yesterday's incident. The first bomb blast occurred at the suspect's rented house near the Sukhumvit 71 Road when he threw a bomb at a taxi for refusing to take him near the road while he hurled the third bomb when a police patrol car intercepted him at the road. The police later found a few homemade bombs at the suspect's rented house. Another suspect carrying Iranian passport was apprehended at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport here, as he was about to take the 6pm flight out of this country. In New Delhi, a bomb blast badly wounded an Israeli woman diplomat yesterday after a motorcyclist planted a magnetic bomb on her car. In Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, an Israeli embassy employee found a bomb on his car and police later managed to defuse the device. Tel Aviv blames the three capital attacks on Iranian terrorists but Tehran has denied responsibility. Wichien said initial investigations also indicated the bombs were meant to be targeted against individuals and not crowded or big areas. "At the moment, we have no confirmation from the suspects on their intended target and location," he said. He also said yesterday's Bangkok incident was not linked to the suspected Lebanese terrorist who carried Swedish passport and was arrested in this capital last month. A 48-year-old terrorist suspect was detained in this city on Jan 12, and more than four tonnes of explosive materials were discovered later. On Jan 13, the United States Embassy here warned that foreign terrorists might conduct attacks against tourist areas in this capital in the near future. About 20 countries also issued travel warning for their nationals but most lifted them eventually. With the latest development in this capital, the United States and United Kingdom Tuesday re-issued their travel alerts. Meanwhile, National Deputy Police Chief Pol Gen Pansiri Praphawat said the third suspect, an Iranian male who was also the tenant of the rented house, had left Thailand. "We will issue a warrant of arrest against him soon," he said, adding that the police were checking on an Iranian woman who rented the house. -- BERNAMA