Thailand seeks handover of Iranian bomb suspect

The Iranian man fled to Malaysia after the bomb blasts in Bangkok.

BANGKOK: Thailand is seeking the extradition of an Iranian suspected in an alleged bomb plot against Israeli diplomats in Bangkok following his arrest in Malaysia, police said today.

“The court approved his arrest warrant so the National Police Office will refer the case to the Attorney-General’s Office to coordinate for his extradition,” national police chief Phrewphan Damapong told reporters.

“We will expedite the process.”
Malaysian police announced yesterday that the unnamed Iranian had been detained in Kuala Lumpur earlier the same day.

He was among three suspects in the bombings that rattled Bangkok on Tuesday and have piled pressure on Tehran amid accusations of a terror campaign against the Jewish state.

On Monday, bombers targeted Israeli embassy staff in India and Georgia before escaping.

In Bangkok, two Iranians were detained over three blasts that occurred on Tuesday. They were charged with causing an illegal explosion and other offences, Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said.

One of the men – named as 28-year-old Saeid Morati – had his legs blown off as he hurled an explosive device at Thai police while fleeing an apparently unintended blast at a house in the Thai capital, officials said.

The other suspect was detained trying to board a flight out of the country.

Meanwhile, Malaysia confirmed that an Iranian man was arrested yesterday over the failed bomb attack in Bangkok.

According to a Bernama report today, Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the 31-year-old man was held at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal as he was about to leave for Iran after flying in from Thailand the previous night.

The National Intelligence Agency of Thailand suspects that he was involved with two others caught in Bangkok in relation to the attempted bomb attack, he said in a statement.

Hishammuddin also said Malaysia is most serious and committed in stamping out terrorist threats and subversive activities which undermine peace and security.

He said the authorities would not allow Malaysia to be used as a location, base or transit by terrorists or individuals wanted in any country.