Israel Matzav

Thai official: Bombers targeted Israeli diplomats

A Thai official said on Wednesday that three bombing attempts that were perpetrated by Iranian nationals in the Asian nation on Tuesday all targeted Israeli diplomats.

"These three Iranian men are an assassination team and their targets were Israeli diplomats including the ambassador," a senior Thai intelligence official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Their plan was to attach bombs to diplomats' cars."

Iran, which has already denied responsibility for the Delhi and Tbilisi incidents, said it had no link to the Bangkok blasts and blamed what it called "elements linked with the (Israeli) Zionist regime".

Foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast "rejected the accusations by the Zionist regime of implication (of Iran) and accused that regime of trying to harm the friendly and historic relations between Iran and Thailand," according to the Iranian state television website.

Thai bomb squad experts were called out to the Sukhumvit Road area in the east of the city in response to an apparently unintended blast at a house rented by an Iranian, after which three men were seen fleeing, authorities said.

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Explosives and magnets were later found inside the partially destroyed house, police said.

Individuals appeared to be the target of the botched plot as the devices were not powerful enough to cause large-scale damage, said Thailand's National Security Council chief Wichean Potephosree.

"Yesterday's incident was caused by current international tensions in world politics," he told a news conference.

"It's happening not only in Thailand but also elsewhere. Thailand's weak point is that we are an open country to help our economy so I urge all Thais to be vigilant and inform the authorities if they see anything suspicious."

Bangkok has been on the watch for a terror attack since police last month charged a Lebanese man suspected of planning a strike, following a US warning that tourist areas might be targeted.

Sounds like the Iranians are much less experienced bombers than Hamas - thank God.

Labels: Iran, Islamic terrorism, Thailand

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:48 AM