Bomb plot was planned for overseas targets, says suspected terrorist

BANGKOK, January 16 (TNA) - A suspected terrorist who was apprehended by Thai police at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport last Friday night has initially told police investigators that bomb attacks were planned for overseas targets, not for Thailand. According to Thai National Police Chief Police General Priewpan Damapong, the Lebanese terrorist suspect, Atris Hussen, who has remained in a police custody, led a squad of over 200 Thai police, including bomb disposal and forensic officers, to a rented building in Muang District of Bangkok's suburban Samut Sakhon Province on Monday morning, after confessing to the police investigators that his group had used the building as a hideout for stocks of materials to be used for making explosives. Police General Priewpan said the detained Lebanese had initially insisted that the seized materials at the building, including 4,380 kilograms of the urea fertilizer in 400 cartons and 10 gallons of ammonium nitrate, would be used for making bombs to be placed at overseas targets. The national police chief told reporters that there were grounds in the detained suspect's testimony, pointing out that a bomb attack should have already been launched in Thailand by the suspect's team if the seized materials were aimed for making explosives against any target in Bangkok or in other Thai provinces, as the building had been rented since early 2010. The national police chief vowed that Thai police forces nationwide will, however, keep on their high alert to prevent any untoward incident and to maintain social order and public safety, particularly in three areas considered mostly at risk in Bangkok, including Khao San Road, Soi Rambutri and Soi Sukhumvit 22, saying that no Thai nationals have been detected to have involved in the suspected terrorism movement. The national police chief acknowledged that the suspected Lebanese terrorist has been additionally charged with possessing explosive devices without any official permission and has been detained at the Border Police Command headquarters in the capital pending further legal action. (TNA)