Thais may be involved in blasts : Deputy Police Chief
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It is believed that some Thai citizens might have been involved in the blasts the rocked Bangkok on February 14, Deputy Police Chief Pol General Pansiri Prapawat said yesterday.
However, he refused to elaborate, saying the matter was still under investigation. Pansiri was speaking after meeting the investigation team in charge of looking into the explosions, which took place in Wattana district and injured five people.
So far, arrest warrants have been issued against five Iranians, three of whom are already in police custody.
Saeid Moradi remains in hospital after losing both his legs to the explosion; Mohammad Hazaei was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport while trying to flee; and Masoud Sedaghatzadeh was arrested two days later in Malaysia. Police are still hunting for Leila Rohani, who is believed to have fled to Tehran before the explosions, and Norouzi Shaya Ali Akbar, a so-called bomb expert.
Police Chief Pol General Priewpan Damapong had said earlier that the five were involved in an alleged plot to kill Israeli diplomats.
Pansiri said investigation showed that the suspects had been given clear assignments and had travelled in and out of Thailand a few times.
Rohani was given the job of finding accommodation and procuring vehicles for the mission, Akbar is believed to have been the mission planner, while the other two were given the job of carrying out the attacks, he said. He added that the investigation team had enough evidence to be at least 80 per cent certain that Hazaei was involved in the incident.
Meanwhile, Moradi was to be moved from Chulalongkorn to the Police Hospital yesterday.
Thai authorities are also trying to negotiate with their Malaysian counterparts to return Sedaghatzadeh.
