Bangkok bomb suspects, identified as Uighurs, set to be indicted

Kanchai Choochart, representing Bilal Muhammed, 24, said he would outline the defence plan when the prosecutors indicted his client.

He was speaking at the Military Court after his client and Meiraili Yusufu, 26, were taken from special detention at a military base to the court so the authorities could seek permission to further detain the suspects. Police identified them as Chinese Uighurs.

The court agreed to the request, meaning police can keep them detained until Tuesday. The prosecutors have to decide within that period whether to indict them.

The lawyer said that prosecutors did not indict his client yesterday because there were many complicated documents to review.

Police have charged the duo with many offences, including multiple murders, illegal entry and possessing of weapons without a permit.

The Erawan Shrine blast in Bangkok on August 17 killed 20 people, mostly foreigners, and injured many others. 

No one was wounded in the blast at a pier on Chao Phraya River the following day.

Bilal was arrested at an apartment in Bangkok’s Nong Chok district, while Meiraili was found trying to sneak into Cambodia at Sa Kaew province.

Bilal has confessed to assembling explosives that caused death and injury, Kanchai said, adding that he did not know what charges the prosecutors would use to indict the suspects.

Meiraili is represented by another lawyer.

Both suspects were taken to the court yesterday amidst tight security and they showed no emotion.