Bomb Suspect Arrested At Airport

By Jamaluddin Muhammad

BANGKOK, Feb 15 (Bernama) -- An Iranian was arrested at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport here Tuesday night, in connection with a series of three bombing incidents in the capital earlier.

Bangkok Metropolitan police chief Pol Lt Gen Winai Thongsaeng said the man was picked up as he was about to take a 6pm flight out of the country.

Three bomb explosions rocked Bangkok today, including an incident where an Iranian man lost his legs when a bomb he hurled at a police patrol car, ricochetted and struck him at Sukhumvit 71 Road here.

The suspect detained at the airport was believed to be one of the two housemates of the bomber. The other is still at large.

Earlier, National Police Deputy Chief Pol Gen Pansiri Praphawat said, apart from the bomber, four locals were injured in the bombing incidents.

He said the first bomb exploded at a house rented by the Iranian at Soi (lane) Preedeepanomyong 31, off Sukhumvit 71 Road about 2pm. Later, the police found several home-made bombs inside the house.

Pansiri said, as the Iranian man tried to run away after the explosion, he flagged down a taxi at the roadside of the Soi but threw another bomb at the taxi when the taxi driver refused to stop after being alerted by the public that he carried bombs.

He said a police patrol car managed to intercept the bomber in front of a school at Sukhumvit 71 Road and the bomber threw the third bomb at the patrol car but it ricochetted and exploded, causing him to lose his legs.

It could not be ascertained whether today's bombing incidents are linked to the terrorism alerts in this capital issued by some countries last month.

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.

A terrorist suspect, a 48-year-old Lebanese, was detained in this city on Jan 12, and more than four tonnes of explosive materials discovered later.