Thai Bombing Suspect “Not Cooperative”

The Straits Times

31 August 2015

The foreigner arrested on suspicion of involvement in the deadly Aug 17 bombing is not cooperating with investigators, Thai police said.

As the 28-year-old is believed to be part of a network, the security agencies are expanding their hunt, based on mobile phone records, for others behind the blast that killed 20 people, 12 of them foreigners.

Yesterday, police searched another house in the Minburi district, close to where last Saturday’s arrest took place, and found more bomb- making materials.

Security agencies downplayed the view held by many analysts that the blast was an act of international terrorism, saying that while no motive is being ruled out, the man who was arrested could be part of a people-smuggling group, acting in a feud.

… “While Thailand should be commended for its initial breakthrough in the investigation, Bangkok must understand that the threat is persistent. No country, including Thailand, should deny the reality of the terrorist threat in South-east Asia,” Singapore-based security specialist Rohan Gunaratna said.

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