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Thai Police Announce Arrest in Bangkok Shrine Bombing Thai Police Announce Arrest in Bangkok Shrine Bombing
(34 minutes later)
BANGKOK — Thai security forces raided an apartment building in a Bangkok suburb just before dawn on Saturday and arrested a foreign man the authorities believe was involved in the deadly bombing of a Bangkok shrine nearly two weeks ago.BANGKOK — Thai security forces raided an apartment building in a Bangkok suburb just before dawn on Saturday and arrested a foreign man the authorities believe was involved in the deadly bombing of a Bangkok shrine nearly two weeks ago.
The police said they found bomb-making materials and stacks of fake Turkish passports in the apartment, but they did not announce the nationality of the suspect, or his name. The police said they had found bomb-making materials and stacks of fake Turkish passports in the apartment. They did not announce the nationality of the suspect, or his name.
The seizures and arrest were possibly the first major breakthroughs in an investigation that has been criticized for its missteps and slow pace.The seizures and arrest were possibly the first major breakthroughs in an investigation that has been criticized for its missteps and slow pace.
The Aug. 17 explosion at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok’s central shopping district killed 20 people and was the worst attack of its kind in recent Thai history. More than 100 people were wounded and close to three dozen remain hospitalized.The Aug. 17 explosion at the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok’s central shopping district killed 20 people and was the worst attack of its kind in recent Thai history. More than 100 people were wounded and close to three dozen remain hospitalized.
Gen. Somyot Poompanmoung, the head of Thailand’s national police force, said he was confident that the suspect was linked to the bombing and said he appeared to be part of a larger network.Gen. Somyot Poompanmoung, the head of Thailand’s national police force, said he was confident that the suspect was linked to the bombing and said he appeared to be part of a larger network.
“We believe some of them are on the run in the country and some of them may have fled the country,” he said.“We believe some of them are on the run in the country and some of them may have fled the country,” he said.
General Somyot declined to discuss the motives of the group but described them as driven by a “personal grudge on behalf of their friends.” General Somyot declined to discuss the motives of the group but said its members were driven by a “personal grudge on behalf of their friends.”
“It’s not transnational terrorism,” he said.“It’s not transnational terrorism,” he said.
Thai authorities have openly said they are reluctant to describe the attack as terrorism over fears it would hurt the country’s tourism industry, a growing part of an economy that has struggled in recent years. More than 20 million visitors have come to the country so far this year. The Thai authorities have openly said that they are reluctant to describe the attack as terrorism over fears that it would hurt the country’s tourism industry, a growing part of an economy that has struggled in recent years. More than 20 million visitors have come to the country so far this year.
The shrine is especially popular among ethnic Chinese tourists from across East Asia and more than half of the dead in the bombing were ethnic Chinese, raising questions about the motive for the attack.The shrine is especially popular among ethnic Chinese tourists from across East Asia and more than half of the dead in the bombing were ethnic Chinese, raising questions about the motive for the attack.
The Thai media speculated Saturday that any Turkish connection to the blast would increase the chances that the attack was in retaliation for Thailand’s forced repatriation of around 100 ethnic Uighurs to China in July. The Uighurs are an ethnic minority in western China who speak a language related to Turkish. The Thai news media speculated Saturday that any Turkish connection to the blast would increase the likelihood that the attack was in retaliation for Thailand’s forced repatriation of about 100 Uighurs to China in July. The Uighurs are an ethnic minority in western China who speak a language related to Turkish.
The repatriation was widely criticized at the time by the United Nations and Western governments because of the prospect that the Uighurs would face persecution. Thailand’s consulate in Istanbul was attacked soon after the Uighurs were sent back. The repatriation was widely criticized at the time by the United Nations and Western governments because of the prospect that the Uighurs would face persecution in China. Thailand’s consulate in Istanbul was attacked soon after the Uighurs were sent back.
But any Uighur connection to the blast remained far from certain on Saturday. Copies of the passport used by the arrested suspect circulated on social media Saturday and appeared to be a crude counterfeit of a Turkish passport. There was no date of issue; instead “Date of Expiry” was repeated twice. Among at least four misspelled words was Istanbul, using the wrong Turkish letters.But any Uighur connection to the blast remained far from certain on Saturday. Copies of the passport used by the arrested suspect circulated on social media Saturday and appeared to be a crude counterfeit of a Turkish passport. There was no date of issue; instead “Date of Expiry” was repeated twice. Among at least four misspelled words was Istanbul, using the wrong Turkish letters.
Thailand is a major production hub of fake passports, an underground industry that churns out a wide range of travel documents.Thailand is a major production hub of fake passports, an underground industry that churns out a wide range of travel documents.
Thai authorities said they were contacting “diplomats” about the arrest on Saturday but did not say from which country. They also said they had trouble communicating with the suspect and were seeking interpreters. The Thai authorities said they were contacting “diplomats” about the arrest on Saturday but did not say from which country. They also said they had trouble communicating with the suspect and were seeking interpreters.
Before Saturday, the police had said that they had few leads in the investigation. Security cameras show a man in a yellow shirt placing a bag under a bench at the shrine shortly before the explosion, which occurred during the evening rush hour. The arrest on Saturday was made at an apartment in a predominantly Muslim neighborhood in the northern suburbs of Bangkok. The police showed images of numerous fuses, metal pipes and bags of ball bearings that resembled those used in the blast. The suspect began renting the apartment on July 31, the police said. The bomb-making equipment seemed to raise the possibility that the group was planning further attacks. Before Saturday, the police had said that they had few leads in the investigation. Security cameras show a man in a yellow shirt placing a bag under a bench at the shrine shortly before the explosion, which occurred during the evening rush hour. The arrest on Saturday was made at an apartment in a predominantly Muslim neighborhood in the northern suburbs of Bangkok. The police showed images of numerous fuses, metal pipes and bags of ball bearings that resembled those used in the blast. The suspect began renting the apartment on July 31, the police said. The bomb-making equipment recovered seemed to raise the possibility that the group was planning further attacks.
The suspect was charged with possession of bomb-making materials and put under military custody. Thailand has been under military rule since May 2014.The suspect was charged with possession of bomb-making materials and put under military custody. Thailand has been under military rule since May 2014.