Bangkok blast hurts Iranian; Israel sees Iran link

Thai Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officials examine the bomb site in Bangkok, Thailand Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012. Two explosions boomed through a busy neighborhood in the Thai capital Tuesday, police said, but it was not immediately clear what caused the blasts or whether there were any fatalities. (AP Photo/Apichart Weerawong)

Wednesday, February 15, 2012
By THANYARAT DOKSONE, Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — A wounded Iranian fleeing an unintended explosion at a house threw a grenade at Bangkok police that instead blew off one of his legs in a series of blasts Tuesday that Israel's defense minister called an "attempted terrorist attack" by Iran. The violence came a day after Israel blamed Tehran for targeting its diplomats with bombs in India and Georgia.

Four other people were injured in the Bangkok explosions, which tore the roof off a house where the wounded man lived with two other compatriots. A second Iranian was arrested at Bangkok's international airport as he was trying to leave Thailand for Malaysia and a third was being sought, police said.

The explosions in the normally peaceful Thai capital came as tensions are running high between the two Middle Eastern nations because of Israel's threats of military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and the recent killings of Iranian atomic scientists. Iran has blamed Israel for the assassinations, and there have been signs that Tehran might try to retaliate.

Terror plot arrest [in Bangkok]

The terror suspect. Photo: AP

January 15, 2012
The Sydney Morning Herald

BANGKOK. Amid public warnings from the US and Israel of a possible terrorist attack, Thai officials have arrested a Lebanese man in connection with a plot to strike tourists in Bangkok.

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said the arrest came after weeks of work with Israel that began with a tip in late December.

He said Israel had informed Thai officials that ''a group of people who appear to be from the Lebanese group Hezbollah'' were planning to strike tourist sites in Bangkok in mid-January.

In Beirut, a Hezbollah official, Ghaleb Abu Zainab, rejected the Thai account, saying the arrested man ''is not one of Hezbollah's members''.

US warns of possible terrorist threat in Bangkok

Friday, January 13, 2012
AFP

The US embassy in Bangkok has warned of a possible terrorist threat against tourists in the Thai capital, urging its citizens to exercise caution in areas popular with foreigners.

"Foreign terrorists may be currently looking to conduct attacks against tourist areas in Bangkok in the near future," it said in an emergency message posted on its website on Friday.

"US citizens are urged to exercise caution when visiting public areas where large groups of Western tourists gather in Bangkok," it added.

The Thai government said that it had been informed by the United States that a pair of suspected Muslim "terrorists" had entered the kingdom.

Alleged terrorist attack: The investigation progresses

09 Jan 2009
By Leang Delux
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

Hun Sen talks about the existence of a network, but he refused to provide further details.

“I will not give you any details because it involves a national security issue, we have all the elements in hand and we will dismantle this network,” Hun Sen declared two days after the arrest of the one of the three suspects involved in the affair of the home-made bombs found on the Russian street on 02 January and which were neutralized in Phnom Penh by deminers.

The alleged terrorist was arrested in his house in Poipet, Banteay Meanchey province.

When the bombs were found, the authority explained that this attempt was made in reaction of the 07 January celebration, the date of the fall of the Pol Pot regime, and of the Vietnamese troops intervention.

Cambodia lawmaker in court threat

Sam Rainsy says the allegations are linked to July's election

Wednesday, 18 June 2008
By Guy Delauney
BBC News, Phnom Penh

The leader of Cambodia's main opposition party is facing the possibility of prosecution just weeks before the country's general election.

The Phnom Penh municipal court has asked the National Assembly to remove Sam Rainsy's parliamentary immunity from prosecution.

Cambodia's foreign minister has brought allegations of defamation and disinformation against him.

Sam Rainsy has described the legal moves as a "political threat".

If the National Assembly agrees with the court's request, the opposition leader could be called in for questioning, prosecuted and possibly jailed.

A conviction for defamation no longer results in a prison term. The law was changed after an outcry over its use to detain several human rights activists two years ago.

But Sam Rainsy also faces a charge of disinformation - which does allow for a custodial sentence.

Election run-up

The Foreign Minister, Hor Namhong, pressed charges over remarks the opposition leader made about him in a speech.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has also ordered an investigation into allegations that Sam Rainsy Party officials were connected to domestic terrorist groups.

Sam Rainsy himself has dismissed both sets of allegations as attempts to intimidate voters in the run-up to the general election.

But a government spokesman accused the opposition leader of playing "dirty tricks".

The leader of Cambodia's second-largest opposition party, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, is currently in self-imposed exile.

He faces an 18-month jail term for breach of trust if he returns to Cambodia.