Thai court approves extended detention of bombing suspect

BANGKOK, February 22 (TNA) - The Criminal Court approved Wednesday a 12-day extended detention, at the Bangkok Remand Prison, of an Iranian bombing suspect allegedly involved in three bomb blasts on Sukhumvit 71 Road in Bangkok on February 14, and disapproved his bid for bail, as requested by police. Police interrogators and commandos brought Mohammad Hazaei, who is among Iranian suspects involved in the bomb explosions to the Criminal Court of Southern Bangkok to seek the 12-day detention allegedly for illegally producing and possessing bombs and causing harmful explosions. The interrogators also opposed his bail, reasoning that the offences are serious and the suspect could escape or influence witnesses if he was released. A route that the police took to bring the suspect to the detention process was heavily guarded and police had the suspect to wear a bullet-proof vest for his safety. In another development, police brought earlier-detained Atris Hussein, a Lebanese suspected of possessing a large amount of ammonium nitrate and urea-based fertilizer in Bangkok's suburban Samut Sakho Province, to the Office of the Attorney-General on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok to press charges. The Thai police interrogators have already received results of tests to verify bomb-making materials and gathered enough witnesses and evidence to back the legal action. (TNA)