Suspect confesses to be behind bomb blast in Bangkok

BANGKOK, September 8 (TNA) - A male foreigner, identified as Yusufu Meiraili, has confessed to have made bombs, one planted at Ratchaprasong Intersection in central Bangkok on August 17, killing 20 victims and injuring about 130 others, and the other thrown into the Chao Phraya River near Sathon Pier in the capital on August 18 with no casualties. Thai police reported on Tuesday that Meiraili, who was recently arrested in eastern border Sa Kaeo Province, has confessed to pass a backpack containing a bomb he had made to another member of his network, a man in yellow T-shirt captured by close-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) who left the deadly bomb in front of the Erawan Shrine near Ratchaprasong Intersection just before it exploded. Earlier, Thai police first arrested another male foreign suspect, identified as Adem Karadag, at an apartment on the outskirts of the capital and seized a large catch of bomb-making materials in which Meiraili's DNA was detected. A Thai court has, so far, approved arrest warrants against many suspects, as requested by police, while two Indian nationals have also been detained for questioning by police investigators. Meanwhile, Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai told journalists that a female Thai Muslim suspect, believed to be staying with her husband, also a suspect, in Turkey, has not yet contacted authorities in defending police's charges of involvement in the deadly bomb blast at Ratchaprasong Intersection. Don noted that the Thai woman, identified as Wanna Suansan, has not contacted the Thai Embassy in Turkey and it is not certain whether she is now staying in Turkey. The Thai foreign minister explained that his ministry cannot check the female suspect's movements overseas unless she registers her name with a Thai embassy in a country where she stays. Besides, his ministry has not been approached by police for finding the rest of suspects who have fled overseas. The new Thai foreign minister stressed that relations between Thailand and Turkey remain sound, acknowledging that his Turkish counterpart had expressed sorrow over the August 17 deadly bomb attack and requested the Bangkok government to be more specific about the nationalities of suspects because Turkey does not want to be seen as involving in the violent case. (TNA)