FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Suspects 're-enact' bombing

Suspects 're-enact' bombing

TWO PRIME suspects in the Erawan Shrine bomb attack that killed 20 and injured more than 100 people re-enacted the crime at 19 key spots in Bangkok yesterday.

Adem Karadag, or Bilal Muhammed, who was the first suspect arrested in connection with the August 17 attack in an apartment in Min Buri, and Mieraili Yusufu, the second suspect arrested at the beginning of this month near the Cambodia border at Sa Kaew’s Aranyaprathet district, were taken to re-enact the crime at key spots where they confessed to committing the crime, Royal Thai Police Pol Lt-General Prawut Thawornsiri said yesterday.
Prawut said Adem’s confession was in line with Mieraili’s confession and Adem’s statements also implicated others in the bombing gang. “The suspects’ statements given to police are also in line with other evidence that police found and scientific evidence. This led us to believe that their confession is true,’’ Prawut said.
Both suspects re-enacted the crime separately. Adem started the re-enactment outside the Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel where he allegedly got off a tuk-tuk; the second spot was at the Erawan Shrine where Adem placed a bag containing the bomb. Mieraili was brought to Rama I Road, opposite the Erawan Shrine. The third spot was at Soi Mahadlekluang where Mieraili got on a motorcycle to escape; the fourth spot was at Chalermlok bridge where Mieraili confessed that he threw his mobile phone into the Saen Saeb canal. The fifth spot was at the fifth gate of Lumpini Park, where Adem allegedly got off a motorcycle to walk to Lumpini Park. The sixth spot was at a toilet near the fifth gate of the park where Adem changed his clothes before leaving the park through gate 4 on Rama IV Road to get in a taxi. The seventh spot was near Padung Krung Kasem Canal at the third bridge near Hua Lampong train station where Adem waited for Mieraili to give him the bomb. Mieraili waited at the second bridge. The eighth spot was at a bench near Padung Krung Kasem Canal near Hua Lampong train station where bags were switched.
The ninth spot was near the fence of the Hua Lampong train station near the Padung Krung Kasem Canal where Adem got into a tuk-tuk. The 10th spot was where the tuk-tuk driver stopped to talk to his friend. The 11th spot was the Cockpit shop opposite Ramada Hotel where a bag containing an explosive device was delivered to Zubair – the blue-shirted man who dropped a bomb at Sathorn Pier; the 12th spot was at a mosque between Soi Charoenkrung 105 and 107 where Adem took 20 minutes to pray.
The 13th spot was at the LPG gas station opposite the mosque where Adem changed into a yellow shirt. The 14th spot was at Kor Laem post office where Adem got on a taxi. The 15th spot was at Soi Charoen Nakhon 61 and Chao Phraya Princess pier, where a bag containing a bomb was located.
The 16th spot was Charoen Nakhon Road opposite Soi Charoen Nakhon 61 where the suspect got into a taxi. The 17th spot was Min Buri market where the suspect got off a taxi. The 18th spot was at a 7-Eleven shop at Min Buri where Adem bought some goods and the 19th spot was at room 412 of Poon-anan apartment where Adem was arrested.
National police chief General Somyot Poompanmuang said the suspects had confessed because they were confronted with evidence. He said the motive for the bombing was the crackdown on human trafficking, which put an end to the illegal business. The suspects were part of the human-trafficking ring and might have been hired by an ill-intentioned group to commit the crime. The re-enactment was carried out under heavy security with some 600 military and police officers being deployed to keep security, who accompanied the two suspects to all the sites. Adem wore a yellow T-shirt and a bulletproof vest and shorts. Mieraili was in a blue T-shirt with a bulletproof vest inside the shirt and shorts. Before the enactment, the Bangkok Military Court approved police’s request to detain the two suspects for 12 days from September26 to October 7. The suspects would be detained at the temporary remand facility in Nakhon Chaisri after re-enacting the crime.
Prawut had announced a list of 17 suspects for whom arrest warrants were approved by the court. All 17 were charged with colluding to commit premeditated murder; colluding to commit attempted premeditated murder; colluding to produce bombs, causing death, serious injuries and damage to the assets of others; conspiring to damage property; colluding to possess explosive devices without permission; colluding to carry explosive devices into a city or public places without justified reasons; and colluding to possess weapons without permission.
 
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