Thai Police Charge Lebanese In Terror Probe

[maidu]

It's good that Thai authorities have arrested the suspect, and appear to be looking for another. Yet, there are probably more than two people involved in such a plan. There may also be Thais who sold materials (or provided other types of support) to them, knowing the materials were for bomb-making (anything-for-a-baht mentality).

Next question, will the suspect(s) be let off the hook by gov't, as happened with some Red Shirts who commandeered and torched downtown Bkk? ....providing bail, etc. Or perhaps the suspect(s) will soom be winging their way back to the Middle East, after perhaps a bit of pay-off money and/or pressure from their embassies. That's what happened with a Middle Eastern trafficker in endangered animals, a few weeks ago.

[Morch]

KS Road isn't just popular with Israelis and Americans. It attracts young kids from all over the world. Somehow, I don't see how targeting young adults who are most likely to hold sympathetic views on the issues that Hezbollah supports, would help Hezbollah.

Although, the Israeli perspective is to emphasize their exposure, the past history is that Hezbollah has murdered more US and French nationals than Israelis. Hezbollah has also kidnapped more non Israeli than Israeli nationals. The successful airline hijackings were against Kuwaiti and TWA airliners.

The Israelis tend to congregate around several places (guesthouses, travel agencies, Chabad house) - not very hard to spot, pretty easy to target.

Yes traveling young Israelis are famously cliquish.

Right.

So in order to kill a clique of Israeli kids, one detonates 4000 kg of explosive material, thereby bringing down a block or two of the city and most likely killing and maiming a few hundred non Israeli members of the clique. Based upon past truck bombing targets such as the US marine barracks in Beirut, or the US UN peacekeeping contingent or the French paratrooper base, I would expect the bombers to go big. Sorry, but a handful of Israelis or even Chabad House alone is not much of a target, not for a chap with 400kgs of explosive material.

Might be overkill for one target, but as you have 3 clusters in the vicinity (not counting the embassy, which is in another part of town and a bit high up) - maybe not way off mark.

As for "handful" - a "little" more than that.

[gopnarak]

Right.

So in order to kill a clique of Israeli kids, one detonates 4000 kg of explosive material, thereby bringing down a block or two of the city and most likely killing and maiming a few hundred non Israeli members of the clique. Based upon past truck bombing targets such as the US marine barracks in Beirut, or the US UN peacekeeping contingent or the French paratrooper base, I would expect the bombers to go big. Sorry, but a handful of Israelis or even Chabad House alone is not much of a target, not for a chap with 400kgs of explosive material.

4000 kg of Urea is about explosive as 4000 liter luke warm water.

If you drive in an Israeli tank trough Beirut, Lebanon you face a high risk of an Hezbollah attack, but not if you buy a bagel in a backpacker bakery in Bangkok.

Even in a Synagogue in Beirut you would be safe.

Hussain Rahal, a spokesman for Hezbollah, said his group -- which refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist, and which the West considers a terrorist organization -- also supports the restoration of Maghen Abraham.

``We respect the Jewish religion just like we do Christianity,'' he said. ``The Jews have always lived among us. We have an issue with Israel's occupation of land.''

http://www.bloomberg...id=aNOWKEnqxKdU

Get real.

Are you serious?

Why don't you get real instead of posting of Hezbollah propoganda.

True or False?

Dec. 31, 1986: Under the alias Organization of the Oppressed on Earth, Hezbollah announces it had kidnapped and murdered three Lebanese Jews. The organization previously had previously taken credit for the murder of 4 other Lebanese nationals of the Jewish faith.

You want reality? Here's what your harmless friends in Hezbollah did;

On Monday morning, May 7, 1984, the United States embassy in Athens received a video posted in the city… It showed William Buckley undergoing torture… The camera zoomed in and out of Buckley’s nude and damaged body. He held before his genitalia a document marked “MOST SECRET”… Casey later remembered how “… They had done more than ruin his body. His eyes made it clear his mind had been played with. It was horrific, medieval and barbarous”… Buckley showed symptoms of being drugged; his eyes were dull and his lips slack. His gaze was of a person deprived of daylight for some time… Buckley had spent long periods being hooded. Buckley bore chafe marks on his wrists and neck suggesting he had been tethered with a rope or chain. A careful study of every inch of visible skin revealed puncture marks indicating he had been injected at various points.

The second video arrived 23 days later. This time it was posted to the United States Embassy on Via Veneto in Rome It revealed Buckley continued to be horrifically treated… Buckley’s voice was slurred and his manner noticeably more egocentric as if not only the world beyond the camera, but his immediate surroundings, held increasingly less interest for him… His hands shook and his legs beat a tattoo on the floor as he mumbled pathetic pleas to be exchanged under a guarantee the United States would remove “all of its influences” from Lebanon and would persuade Israel to do the same…

On Friday, October 26, 1984, 224 days since Buckley was kidnapped, a third video arrived at the CIA. The tape was even more harrowing. Buckley was close to a gibbering wretch. His words were often incoherent; he slobbered and drooled and, most unnerving of all, he would suddenly scream in terror, his eyes rolling helplessly and his body shaking. From time to time he held up documents, which had been in his burn-bag, to the camera. Then he delivered a pathetic defence of his captor’s right to self-determination in Lebanon… William Buckley’s kidnapping was into its second year by the spring of 1985. The CIA​ consensus was that he would be blindfolded and chained at the ankles and wrists and kept in a cell little bigger than a coffin.

In 1988, a few years after Buckley’s torture and murder, Hezbollah kidnapped U.S. Marine Colonel Rich Higgins. Higgins, who at the time was serving as a UN military observer, was tortured and eventually murdered. We know as much because two years later Hezbollah released a videotape of his torture-scarred body hung and dangling from the ceiling. Here’s how U.S. diplomat Fred Hof described the blood debt to be paid by Hezbollah’s current leadership, including Nasrallah, for Higgins:

A friend of mine – Colonel Rich Higgins – was kidnapped by Hezbollah while he was serving as a UN military observer in Lebanon… he had been tortured and killed months before our efforts to free him finally ended. I am one of a small handful of Americans who knows the exact manner of Rich’s death. If I were to describe it to you now – which I will not – I can guarantee that a significant number of people in this room would become physically ill. When my former business partner Rich Armitage described Hezbollah a few years ago as the “A-Team” of international terrorism and suggested that there was a “blood debt” to be paid, he was referring to a leadership cadre that is steeped in blood and brutality.

So you take your reality and tell that to the families of the hundreds of US and French nationals murdered by Hezbollah.

Where is the bomb?

20- 30 years old stories and veteran fairy tales and only allegations.

“blood debt” to be paid? What business has U.S. "diplomat" Fred Hof in Lebanon? Extrajudical killings? Revenge? Murder?

Hezbollah is part of the Government in Lebanon. democratically elected.

And they see themselves as resistance movement against foreign occupiers. So don't come with a tank.

No need to post anymore stories from israelfrontline.com. its propaganda. You know that.

If you use google i am pretty sure you will find some articles about Lebanese orphans and how innocent people lost family members in some Israeli air strike on Beirut.Or something else that involves torture and Americans and that makes you ill and wanna vomit or come up with excuses like its only a minor war crime, almost nothing like stealing candy.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

A bit more color and detail from the New York Times... Note the kitty litter angle:

On Monday Thai officials said they believed Thailand was not a target. The chief of the metropolitan police, Winai Thongsong, said in an interview that the suspects had contacted a shipping company in Thailand to send the materials out of the country in containers.

“At first, we were not sure whether Thailand was a target or not,” Mr. Winai said. “But now it is quite clear that our country was being used as a transit area.” The building where the materials were found is a three-story “shop-house” in Samut Sakhon Province, near Bangkok.

Investigators found urea fertilizer packed in bags labeled cat litter and plastic drums of ammonium nitrate, two materials that can be used to make explosives. The Lebanese suspect, whom Thai officials identified as Atris Hussein, accompanied police officers wearing a protective vest and face mask.

http://www.nytimes.c...g-material.html

So the "terror" plot is to ship some urea fertilizer labeled as cat litter out of Thailand.

Probably trying to save some export/import taxes somehow this way or just got some PP/PE bags with that cat litter print for cheap.

Urea is in the first line just a totally common organic fertilizer and not a bomb yet. same goes for liquid ammonium nitrate. These things don't explode.

Where is the imminent terror threat?

Yes, sure, the kitty litter bags was just to try to save on export taxes..,.

And then hiding the bags inside electric fan boxes was part of their effort to be environmentally responsible by re-using cardboard boxes....

And that fact they had 4 TONS stored up and sitting outside BKK for months, according to the reports, just meant the Lebanon farming business is a bit slow right now...

Really, you need to get your head out of your.....

[tartempion]

So the "terror" plot is to ship some urea fertilizer labeled as cat litter out of Thailand.

Probably trying to save some export/import taxes somehow this way or just got some PP/PE bags with that cat litter print for cheap.

Urea is in the first line just a totally common organic fertilizer and not a bomb yet. same goes for liquid ammonium nitrate. These things don't explode.

Where is the imminent terror threat?

See how Anders Breivik confectionned his bombs:

Breivik built his bombs on a rented farm 100 miles north of the Norwegian capital. Posing as a farmer, Breivik also reportedly bought fertilizer from a local store without incident. Five days after Breivik's arrest, Norwegian police detonated a cache of left-over explosive materials at the farm.

Police said in July that they are also investigating the existence of Breivik's "survivor's kit." In the manifes

[OzMick]

The reports say the the Ammonium nitrate comes in solution, its liquid. So you don't have to be worried about the prills.

How you make that 4000 kg of Urea gonna bang without nitration? And where you gonna nitrate that 4000kg? And how much time you need for it to keep the schedule up with the imminent terror attack?

And why it is packed in cat litter bags and what you want to ship with that cargo company you contacted when you bring all the fertilizer to the KSR?

Reading and comprehension is not your strong suit? The original post refers to urea-based fertilizer, not pure urea.

"when nitrogen is added to urea, the compound becomes water soluble, making it a highly desired ingredient for lawn fertilizer."

http://www.wisegeek....hat-is-urea.htm

Liquid AN will explode just as easily as prills, normally mixed in a slurry with diesel. It seems the smaller amount of AN was to be used as a trigger for the urea fertilizer. With 4000kg you could make a number of devastating bombs to be used in simultaneous attacks - SOP for muslim terrorists.

read here from your smart guy side

http://www.wisegeek....fertilizers.htm

What Are the Different Types of Urea Fertilizers?

there are pure Urea fertilizer and urea fertilizer in a mixture with other things plants might like like like phosphate. Its still just a mixture of different chemical componants and the added phosphate make it explosive like laundry detergent powder or cat litter.

Urea nitrate is a totally different chemical compound than just Urea. You add Nitrogen in a chemical process that is called nitration.

Tell me how you want to do it. How you want turn 4000 kg Urea based fertilizer into a 4 ton Urea (ammonium) nitrate? You are on tight schedule.

How you wanna do it logistical and technical? Where you get that nitrogen from? Do you might need other chemicals ?

And don't forget the Urea fertilizer is already packed to be shipped with a cargo company to a destination oversee.

Face it - there is no mega bomb. "4000 kg bomb ingredients "just a better head line then 4000 kg fertilizers in 25 liter PP/PE bags labeled as cat litter.

So it's not explosive, and Hezbollah are not terrorists, it's just that nobody in the world will sell them fertilizer. So they travel half way around the planet, to but harmless fertilizer, which they label as cat litter, then freight (at a cost exceeding the value of the goods) back to Lebanon to put on their cedar trees and grape vines.

And you believe that? BTW who said they were on a tight schedule, or anywhere near ready to carry out their cunning plan?

[gopnarak]

A bit more color and detail from the New York Times... Note the kitty litter angle:

On Monday Thai officials said they believed Thailand was not a target. The chief of the metropolitan police, Winai Thongsong, said in an interview that the suspects had contacted a shipping company in Thailand to send the materials out of the country in containers.

“At first, we were not sure whether Thailand was a target or not,” Mr. Winai said. “But now it is quite clear that our country was being used as a transit area.” The building where the materials were found is a three-story “shop-house” in Samut Sakhon Province, near Bangkok.

Investigators found urea fertilizer packed in bags labeled cat litter and plastic drums of ammonium nitrate, two materials that can be used to make explosives. The Lebanese suspect, whom Thai officials identified as Atris Hussein, accompanied police officers wearing a protective vest and face mask.

http://www.nytimes.c...g-material.html

So the "terror" plot is to ship some urea fertilizer labeled as cat litter out of Thailand.

Probably trying to save some export/import taxes somehow this way or just got some PP/PE bags with that cat litter print for cheap.

Urea is in the first line just a totally common organic fertilizer and not a bomb yet. same goes for liquid ammonium nitrate. These things don't explode.

Where is the imminent terror threat?

Yes, sure, the kitty litter bags was just to try to save on export taxes..,.

And then hiding the bags inside electric fan boxes was part of their effort to be environmentally responsible by re-using cardboard boxes....

And that fact they had 4 TONS stored up and sitting outside BKK for months, according to the reports, just meant the Lebanon farming business is a bit slow right now...

Really, you need to get your head out of your.....

So why is it stored for month to extend the time for the risk to get caught?

Why they didn't use the time to really cook a bomb or many small ones and nor did they blow something up whenever Hillary came on CNN?

[webfact]

Lebanese-Swedish terror suspect questioned before more detention

BANGKOK, Jan 17 - Lebanese-Swedish terror suspect Atris Hussein was to be questioned further by police Tuesday before being transferred to Bangkok Criminal Court for further detention.

According to the Border Patrol Police Bureau, Mr Hussein entered the Thai capital several times during Jan 10-12 and conversed with several persons, both Thais and foreigners.

Police from the Crime Suppression Division will participate in investigating the suspect, Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Pansiri Prapawat said.

Mr Hussein was charged Monday afternoon with possessing agricultural fertilisers, chemicals which were linked to a terror plot after the substances, which can be used to compound explosives, were discovered in a building in suburban Samut Sakhon, adjacent to the capital.

Despite the fact that a large amount of urea fertiliser and ammonium nitrate solution was found, the suspect said the building was used only to store the chemicals, but not to produce explosives. Pol Gen Pansiri said fingerprints on the seized items will be ready within two days.

Meanwhile, no hidden traces were found after being thoroughly examined at 400 fans, which were among the items seized at the building. Police said there were believed to be more than one suspect involved and who might have planned to ship the fans abroad with the ammonium nitrate solution.

According to Mr Hussein, there was no terror plot planned for Thailand but the country was being used as a transit site to distribute materials for making bombs overseas.

However, the location was not disclosed by the Thai authorities.

Mr Hussein was detained for questioning Friday at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport under Thai immigration law with suspected links to Hezbollah, a militant political party in Lebanon which holds 11 of 30 cabinet seats in the Lebanese government and which is considered as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States, Britain, Canada and several other countries.

He was leaving Thailand the same day as the US embassy in Bangkok issued a terrorist threat warning for the capital. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-01-17

[gopnarak]

The reports say the the Ammonium nitrate comes in solution, its liquid. So you don't have to be worried about the prills.

How you make that 4000 kg of Urea gonna bang without nitration? And where you gonna nitrate that 4000kg? And how much time you need for it to keep the schedule up with the imminent terror attack?

And why it is packed in cat litter bags and what you want to ship with that cargo company you contacted when you bring all the fertilizer to the KSR?

Reading and comprehension is not your strong suit? The original post refers to urea-based fertilizer, not pure urea.

"when nitrogen is added to urea, the compound becomes water soluble, making it a highly desired ingredient for lawn fertilizer."

http://www.wisegeek....hat-is-urea.htm

Liquid AN will explode just as easily as prills, normally mixed in a slurry with diesel. It seems the smaller amount of AN was to be used as a trigger for the urea fertilizer. With 4000kg you could make a number of devastating bombs to be used in simultaneous attacks - SOP for muslim terrorists.

read here from your smart guy side

http://www.wisegeek....fertilizers.htm

What Are the Different Types of Urea Fertilizers?

there are pure Urea fertilizer and urea fertilizer in a mixture with other things plants might like like like phosphate. Its still just a mixture of different chemical componants and the added phosphate make it explosive like laundry detergent powder or cat litter.

Urea nitrate is a totally different chemical compound than just Urea. You add Nitrogen in a chemical process that is called nitration.

Tell me how you want to do it. How you want turn 4000 kg Urea based fertilizer into a 4 ton Urea (ammonium) nitrate? You are on tight schedule.

How you wanna do it logistical and technical? Where you get that nitrogen from? Do you might need other chemicals ?

And don't forget the Urea fertilizer is already packed to be shipped with a cargo company to a destination oversee.

Face it - there is no mega bomb. "4000 kg bomb ingredients "just a better head line then 4000 kg fertilizers in 25 liter PP/PE bags labeled as cat litter.

So it's not explosive, and Hezbollah are not terrorists, it's just that nobody in the world will sell them fertilizer. So they travel half way around the planet, to but harmless fertilizer, which they label as cat litter, then freight (at a cost exceeding the value of the goods) back to Lebanon to put on their cedar trees and grape vines.

And you believe that? BTW who said they were on a tight schedule, or anywhere near ready to carry out their cunning plan?

According to warning released by the US embassy they were ready to bomb all American Israelis in Bangkok at any moment.

But here we have just fertilizer, nothing else. NO BOMB. .without it no attack.

Furthermore we have some reaction by the Thai government and the opposition to the US interference did you here them? Both said that they don't need the US or any other foreign interference to run the show.. Why not listen?

[gl555]

According to warning released by the US embassy they were ready to bomb all American Israelis in Bangkok at any moment.

But here we have just fertilizer, nothing else. NO BOMB. .without it no attack.

Furthermore we have some reaction by the Thai government and the opposition to the US interference did you here them? Both said that they don't need the US or any other foreign interference to run the show.. Why not listen?

Are you people stupid or something? The fertilzer is used to make the bomb! It's the same stuff used by Timothy McVeigh. You heard off him right? And why would the US listen to or work together with an incompetant government whose solution to dealing with terror threats is all about pretending there isn't one?

Your arguments are getting weaker and weaker with each post.

[OzMick]

So it's not explosive, and Hezbollah are not terrorists, it's just that nobody in the world will sell them fertilizer. So they travel half way around the planet, to but harmless fertilizer, which they label as cat litter, then freight (at a cost exceeding the value of the goods) back to Lebanon to put on their cedar trees and grape vines.

And you believe that? BTW who said they were on a tight schedule, or anywhere near ready to carry out their cunning plan?

According to warning released by the US embassy they were ready to bomb all American Israelis in Bangkok at any moment.

But here we have just fertilizer, nothing else. NO BOMB. .without it no attack.

Furthermore we have some reaction by the Thai government and the opposition to the US interference did you here them? Both said that they don't need the US or any other foreign interference to run the show.. Why not listen?

I saw no reference to "imminent attack" - rather it said "potential target".

You have offered no explanation why Hezbollah was purchasing "harmless" fertilizer in Thailand, without the appropriate permit, and shipping it under false description.

Thailand is trying to protect their tourist trade at a time when their budget looks to be dangerously out of balance. I listen, I also think.

One of the things that i think is that your recent posts bear some of the characteristics of a country dunny.

[Morch]

Meanwhile, no hidden traces were found after being thoroughly examined at 400 fans, which were among the items seized at the building. Police said there were believed to be more than one suspect involved and who might have planned to ship the fans abroad with the ammonium nitrate solution.

I see, previously allegations of hiding bombs in electric fan boxes were just wild speculation and made up by whoever. these guys seems to be in a legit import export business with seasonal products. Electric fans and fertilizer have probably times of high and low demands and can be sold for higher prices in the right month.

Just wait a few more days and there isn't any evidence for terrorism anymore. And that is the reality like it exist here in Thailand.

Amazing Thailand. That all you should say and enjoy your stay here.

Do you have any concrete information to support the claim that these are "wild speculation", or the claim that they were a "legit import export" outfit are true? (what where they importing, btw?)

[Bagwan]

KS Road isn't just popular with Israelis and Americans. It attracts young kids from all over the world. Somehow, I don't see how targeting young adults who are most likely to hold sympathetic views on the issues that Hezbollah supports, would help Hezbollah.

Although, the Israeli perspective is to emphasize their exposure, the past history is that Hezbollah has murdered more US and French nationals than Israelis. Hezbollah has also kidnapped more non Israeli than Israeli nationals. The successful airline hijackings were against Kuwaiti and TWA airliners.

I suggest that it would not make much sense to try to highjack an El Al aeroplane. All flights carry armed trained agents ready to jump into action at the slightest suggestion of such an event. I understand the US airlines also employ armed personnel masquerading as passengers. They always sit in aisle seats.

[Bagwan]

Just curious... note in the photo above, one of the two guys holding the bomb suspect is wearing a black cap with the letters "ICE" on the front.

In the U.S., that stands for 'Immigration and Customs Enforcement," the arm of U.S. law enforcement that often would be involved with foreigners who have committed some kind of crime.

But I don't know/have never seen/heard the ICE term here re Thai law enforcement... Anyone know?

In Constant Error?

[animatic]

It seems at least on poster has absolutely minuscule knowlege of basic chemistry,

and possibly even less about the world history in the last 20 years.

When you see a hermit writing about interacting in the world.... best not to listen.

[animatic]

Just curious... note in the photo above, one of the two guys holding the bomb suspect is wearing a black cap with the letters "ICE" on the front.

In the U.S., that stands for 'Immigration and Customs Enforcement," the arm of U.S. law enforcement that often would be involved with foreigners who have committed some kind of crime.

But I don't know/have never seen/heard the ICE term here re Thai law enforcement... Anyone know?

In Constant Error?

In Continent Ejit?

Edited January 17, 2012 by animatic

[pimay11]

According to warning released by the US embassy they were ready to bomb all American Israelis in Bangkok at any moment.

But here we have just fertilizer, nothing else. NO BOMB. .without it no attack.

Furthermore we have some reaction by the Thai government and the opposition to the US interference did you here them? Both said that they don't need the US or any other foreign interference to run the show.. Why not listen?

Are you people stupid or something? The fertilzer is used to make the bomb! It's the same stuff used by Timothy McVeigh. You heard off him right? And why would the US listen to or work together with an incompetant government whose solution to dealing with terror threats is all about pretending there isn't one?

Your arguments are getting weaker and weaker with each post.

Who made a bomb?

Timothy McVeigh? Yes.

These suspected Hezbollah dudes? No.

The US shouldn't bother about how the Thai Gov't runs the country, no matter how incompetent they might be. It is not the US business its Thailand here.

There is no way you can actually believe this garbage you're posting but I'll give you credit for one thing. You sure have a way to provoke responses.

[Bagwan]

"The Thai police were waiting for the suspect at the airport after receiving alerts from US and Israeli counter-terrorist agencies, which had advance information about the coming attack. According to debkafile's intelligence sources, the tip-off originated with Lebanese nationals living in Bangkok who had been approached for assistance. Those informants, who did not trust the local authorities to act, went straight to Western and Israeli contacts, who then published terror alerts to US and Israeli travelers."

It seems the US & Israel didn't tell the Thais until the last moment.

Fearful the Thai Police would tip off the suspects?

I think more likely is that the Thai government was already working on this and had already tracked and/or arrested the guy but once the alert went public felt the need for what they felt was the face-saving and tourism-calming PR statements and theater actions.

But I think one thing we can all agree on is... if terrorists are this easy to obtain confessions from and spill their plans of attack, then we have nothing to worry about.

Have you any idea of what Thai police interrogation methods are? If so, you'd have a laundry problem before they started in. Perhaps they offered him a pork chop? Or 78 virgins, supplied from Soi Cowboy, Patpong and Nana Plaza of course.

[sparebox2]

Have you any idea of what Thai police interrogation methods are? If so, you'd have a laundry problem before they started in. Perhaps they offered him a pork chop? Or 78 virgins, supplied from Soi Cowboy, Patpong and Nana Plaza of course.

Haha. I love the pork chop to make his talk porky (pie).

Edited January 17, 2012 by sparebox2

[metisdead]

Troll posts and conspiracy theory posts have been removed.

[gopnarak]

Lebanese-Swedish terror suspect questioned before more detention

Meanwhile, no hidden traces were found after being thoroughly examined at 400 fans, which were among the items seized at the building. Police said there were believed to be more than one suspect involved and who might have planned to ship the fans abroad with the ammonium nitrate solution.

According to Mr Hussein, there was no terror plot planned for Thailand but the country was being used as a transit site to distribute materials for making bombs overseas.

However, the location was not disclosed by the Thai authorities.

Mr Hussein was detained for questioning Friday at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport under Thai immigration law with suspected links to Hezbollah, a militant political party in Lebanon which holds 11 of 30 cabinet seats in the Lebanese government and which is considered as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States, Britain, Canada and several other countries.

-- TNA 2012-01-17

no hidden traces .... nothing found.

And see, Hezbollah has 11 of 30 cabinet seat in Lebanese Gov't. Elected by the Lebanese people

The article fails to mention that Thailand unlike other countries doesn't see Hezbollah as terrorists and that its not a crime in Thailand.

[Morch]

Lebanese-Swedish terror suspect questioned before more detention

Meanwhile, no hidden traces were found after being thoroughly examined at 400 fans, which were among the items seized at the building. Police said there were believed to be more than one suspect involved and who might have planned to ship the fans abroad with the ammonium nitrate solution.

According to Mr Hussein, there was no terror plot planned for Thailand but the country was being used as a transit site to distribute materials for making bombs overseas.

However, the location was not disclosed by the Thai authorities.

Mr Hussein was detained for questioning Friday at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport under Thai immigration law with suspected links to Hezbollah, a militant political party in Lebanon which holds 11 of 30 cabinet seats in the Lebanese government and which is considered as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States, Britain, Canada and several other countries.

-- TNA 2012-01-17

no hidden traces .... nothing found.

And see, Hezbollah has 11 of 30 cabinet seat in Lebanese Gov't. Elected by the Lebanese people

The article fails to mention that Thailand unlike other countries doesn't see Hezbollah as terrorists and that its not a crime in Thailand.

Selective reading is nice :-).

Do you recall if said elections where considered legit? Or the fate of a certain Lebabese prime minister who didn't play nice with Hezbolla?

[Jingthing]

No need to obsess on labeling here. Obviously not all individuals affiliated with Hezbollah, Hamas, etc. are active terrorists. Not all Nazis committed war crimes either. Lets focus on the reality in Thailand. Good evidence Hezbollah players are active here and involved in different kinds of dark activities. It may be true that Thailand doesn't want to get involved in taking sides in hot global geopolitical issues, that makes sense, but that tactic only goes so far when you indeed ARE dealing with Hezbollah TERRORISTS. Like the floods, if the waters are coming, the waters are coming, no matter the games and rhetoric you use to deny it.

Edited January 17, 2012 by Jingthing

[erobando]

"The Thai police were waiting for the suspect at the airport after receiving alerts from US and Israeli counter-terrorist agencies, which had advance information about the coming attack. According to debkafile's intelligence sources, the tip-off originated with Lebanese nationals living in Bangkok who had been approached for assistance. Those informants, who did not trust the local authorities to act, went straight to Western and Israeli contacts, who then published terror alerts to US and Israeli travelers."

It seems the US & Israel didn't tell the Thais until the last moment.

Fearful the Thai Police would tip off the suspects?

I think more likely is that the Thai government was already working on this and had already tracked and/or arrested the guy but once the alert went public felt the need for what they felt was the face-saving and tourism-calming PR statements and theater actions.

But I think one thing we can all agree on is... if terrorists are this easy to obtain confessions from and spill their plans of attack, then we have nothing to worry about.

Have you any idea of what Thai police interrogation methods are? If so, you'd have a laundry problem before they started in. Perhaps they offered him a pork chop? Or 78 virgins, supplied from Soi Cowboy, Patpong and Nana Plaza of course.

OK, so then we can all agree. There was never any potential threat in Thailand and the materials were only being stroed until the go into transit ot other locations at a later time.

[Jingthing]

"The Thai police were waiting for the suspect at the airport after receiving alerts from US and Israeli counter-terrorist agencies, which had advance information about the coming attack. According to debkafile's intelligence sources, the tip-off originated with Lebanese nationals living in Bangkok who had been approached for assistance. Those informants, who did not trust the local authorities to act, went straight to Western and Israeli contacts, who then published terror alerts to US and Israeli travelers."

It seems the US & Israel didn't tell the Thais until the last moment.

Fearful the Thai Police would tip off the suspects?

I think more likely is that the Thai government was already working on this and had already tracked and/or arrested the guy but once the alert went public felt the need for what they felt was the face-saving and tourism-calming PR statements and theater actions.

But I think one thing we can all agree on is... if terrorists are this easy to obtain confessions from and spill their plans of attack, then we have nothing to worry about.

Have you any idea of what Thai police interrogation methods are? If so, you'd have a laundry problem before they started in. Perhaps they offered him a pork chop? Or 78 virgins, supplied from Soi Cowboy, Patpong and Nana Plaza of course.

OK, so then we can all agree. There was never any potential threat in Thailand and the materials were only being stroed until the go into transit ot other locations at a later time.

You're living in Cloud Cuckoo Land again. No, we can't all agree. In fact, the terror alert warning is STILL in effect from the US embassy. Nor can we agree that Hezbollah was not planning attacks on Israeli and western targets in Thailand. We don't know if they still have capable armed actors who can still act. Don't act like you know, because you don't. Edited January 17, 2012 by Jingthing

[Joeb]

What I find interesting is the attitude of the Thai officials. Since the bomb materials were being shipped to some other country then it isn't really terrorism and they will only charge the guy with a license violation for illegally owning the nitrates. No conern expressed at all that their country is being used to supply bombs, intended no doubt to kill innocent people. Not our country not our problem.

[Jingthing]

What I find interesting is the attitude of the Thai officials. Since the bomb materials were being shipped to some other country then it isn't really terrorism and they will only charge the guy with a license violation for illegally owning the nitrates. No conern expressed at all that their country is being used to supply bombs, intended no doubt to kill innocent people. Not our country not our problem.

Maybe they are copying the Swiss? Thailand of course has to balance their geopolitical interests. However, not taking serious steps against obvious international terrorists, whether they are intending to act internally (which I believe) or externally, or both (also highly probable) basically sends out a WELCOME MAT to more of the same in future. Edited January 17, 2012 by Jingthing

[ttthailand]

There is this thing called karma. I think it applies to countries also.....

[Jingthing]

There is this thing called karma. I think it applies to countries also.....

Thailand does have an awful lot of internal problems already. The red shirt thing, the yellow shirt thing, the flirting with civil war thing, the Thaksin thing, the corruption thing, and the southern Islamic insurgency thing.

[KeyserSoze01]

"The Thai police were waiting for the suspect at the airport after receiving alerts from US and Israeli counter-terrorist agencies, which had advance information about the coming attack. According to debkafile's intelligence sources, the tip-off originated with Lebanese nationals living in Bangkok who had been approached for assistance. Those informants, who did not trust the local authorities to act, went straight to Western and Israeli contacts, who then published terror alerts to US and Israeli travelers."

It seems the US & Israel didn't tell the Thais until the last moment.

Fearful the Thai Police would tip off the suspects?

I think more likely is that the Thai government was already working on this and had already tracked and/or arrested the guy but once the alert went public felt the need for what they felt was the face-saving and tourism-calming PR statements and theater actions.

But I think one thing we can all agree on is... if terrorists are this easy to obtain confessions from and spill their plans of attack, then we have nothing to worry about.

More BS from you and gopnarak. You can't backpedal on your stance over the last few days that the entire incident was a ploy by the US and that the Thai government can do no wrong. In the space of 4 days we have heard the entire gambit of responses from the Thai government, from nothing to worry about to the US should mind their own business... Even in the light of the FACT that bomb making materials have been ceased and the suspect arrested, you still cannot give credit where credit is due... Had 14 countries not made this terror alert public, the Thai authorities would have just covered it up due to fears about the impact on tourism.