Swedish-Lebanese Terror Suspect Explains Himself: Thailand

[wxyz]

charge him with the multiple visa and work permit violations that any one of us would be charged with if we tried to conduct business in thailand

It is illegal for foreigners to work in Thailand without a work permit. This includes unpaid work, volunteer work (even for charitable causes), and work in exchange for room and board. If you work in Thailand without a work permit, you are subject to arrest, fine, and deportation. Before traveling to Thailand for work -- whether or not you will receive compensation -- you should check with a Royal Thai Embassy to ensure that your plans are consistent with Thai law. Several U.S. citizens are arrested each year due to work permit violations.

http://travel.state....s/cis_1040.html

He would probably be quite happy to be charged with visa/work permit violations and then blacklisted and put on a plane back to Sweden at the moment.

why, he hasn't lived in sweden for 7 years

[Orac]

charge him with the multiple visa and work permit violations that any one of us would be charged with if we tried to conduct business in thailand

It is illegal for foreigners to work in Thailand without a work permit. This includes unpaid work, volunteer work (even for charitable causes), and work in exchange for room and board. If you work in Thailand without a work permit, you are subject to arrest, fine, and deportation. Before traveling to Thailand for work -- whether or not you will receive compensation -- you should check with a Royal Thai Embassy to ensure that your plans are consistent with Thai law. Several U.S. citizens are arrested each year due to work permit violations.

http://travel.state....s/cis_1040.html

He would probably be quite happy to be charged with visa/work permit violations and then blacklisted and put on a plane back to Sweden at the moment.

why, he hasn't lived in sweden for 7 years

He looks like he entered Thailand on a swedish passport and he holds swedish citizenship though I am sure he would be equally happy to be sent back to Lebanon.

[wxyz]

The US warning stands. I don't think the Americans believe the Thais have "their man". The Thais have an excuse to say "Everyone go back to their business and pretend nothing's happened and tell all your farang friends to come on over and continue to give us money through tourism" but we ain't buying it.

Or are we?

they seem to be short the number of usual suspects, only one usual suspect, please

Casablanca (1942)

Captain Renault: Realizing the importance of the case, my men are rounding up twice the usual number of suspects.

[monty1412]

any body is still innocent until proven guilty ... so in this case it works also .... I doubt the mossad is involve in this but you never know ....

Why would Mossad get involved in something like this.. these guys are the spooks of spooks rated higher by CIA than any other intelligence operation in the world.... attaching drive by car bomb to Iranian Nuc physcist I can believe.. running risk of exposure by shipping large amounts of fertisler to finger a low life Hezbollah operative.. nah...

[hoaker]

Interrogation seems like the police is more interested in his business so they could extort money... Nowhere to be found questions regarding Hezbollah, bombs, or how to make them. Thai cops all of a sudden have credible interrogations?

Without the US Embassy statements, Thai authorities would have NO CLUE whats going on...

[AsiaCheese]

For those who don't know: Aftonbladet is a pretty low-level yellow press newspaper. When they're not super-busy accusing the Swedish king of visiting night clubs and similar, they find something else.

[Baerboxer]

I believe him.

Israel has just assassinated a scientist in Iran and they want to throw the spotlight somewhere else. This guy will probably end up falling out of an plane door of the Gulf of Thailand late one night.

Wow! Been wondering who assassinated the scientist in Iran. And your proof is ........................... ?

[atyclb]

Saying the 4,000 plus of bomb making supplies was planted to incriminate him is kina like the politician that said the thieves planted 100 million baht in his home to make him appear corrupt.

But yes, innocent until proven guilty

So what, 8000 lbs of fertilizer, the guy is a farmer.

Edited January 20, 2012 by atyclb

[DiamondKing]

In his own words he supports and believes in what Hezbollah does and that in itself sheds a bad light on him and the fact that he is travelling under the guise of a swedish citizen when in actuality he is lebanese.

To me looks like he got caught and now is going for the conspiracy excuse and before anyone thinks that I am all for israel I dont think they are any better than the people they are fighting, they seserve each other.

DK

[SPIKECM]

There's so much hypocrisy with all religions and especially Arabs. The Arab men just love Bangkok for the same reasons as almost every other man does. There must then be a huge self interest to stop any Islamist in their tracks in Thailand, so as not to shit in their own nest. They have a huge vested interest in not bombing in Thailand. Their businesses, meetings, blood diamond trade, etc; all would be affected.

This is balanced by the fact that it must be so easy to do a huge amount of damage in the likes of Nana Plaza. Any explosion in there would massacre hundreds. Also, there are so many easy-to-target Israelis in enclaves all over Thailand, it must be so tempting for a few of them.

Strong reasons against, but certainly some reasons for some atrocity happening in Thailand. Personally I would keep well away from Nana Plaza. If something's going to happen that is surely the main target. That and Kow San Road. That probably covers a good 90% of the risk areas. Walking Street in Pattaya would not be a very efficient target. Probably would get about 50% katoys.

[JohnAllan]

Some people obviously have a higher opinion of Mossad than I do.

Whether or not the guy is concocting a story, the fact remains Mossad are a law unto themselves and the Israelis a menace to any kind of sustained Middle East peace, that exacerbated by American politicians perceived need to court the Jewish Americans' vote - and money.

[GregCV]

I believe the guy. It fits what I know about how the Mossad operates. Hope he has enough evidence to show that he is telling the truth.

[Orac]

I believe the guy. It fits what I know about how the Mossad operates. Hope he has enough evidence to show that he is telling the truth.

Shouldn't be too difficult though whether we get to here about it is a different matter.

The fertilizer in the warehouse should be an easy source for validating his story - you don't 'not notice' 4000kg of fertilizer in a warehouse you have just checked for flood damage so it has been put there very recently if his story is correct which someone should have seen.Not to mention if it had been there for a longer period - some allegations were a year i believe - the amount of dust on it would be a dead give away.

[pimay11]

First this guy says he was going to ship the goods to another country to make bombs as reported by the BIB. Now he says he has no idea where the goods came from. Sounds like he has been reading the local papers and decided if denying the truth works for the PM of Thailand it should work for him.

[wxyz]

oh please, had it been mossad, he would be disappeared or dead and easily made to look like a suicide or misadventure that the land of smiles is so famous for with the full cooperation from the BIB

[OzMick]

Some people obviously have a higher opinion of Mossad than I do.

Whether or not the guy is concocting a story, the fact remains Mossad are a law unto themselves and the Israelis a menace to any kind of sustained Middle East peace, that exacerbated by American politicians perceived need to court the Jewish Americans' vote - and money.

Could Mossad be any more of a barrier to peace than Hezbollah's denial of Israel's right to exist?

At the end od WWII there were many changes to national boundaries that most of those affected have learned to live with and got on with their lives. Germany was split, peacefully reunited and prospered. Japan lost all its territorial gains, learned to trade for what it needs, and prospered. One group has wasted 60 years, caused the deaths of thousands, very little has changed, and many are still living in refugee camps.

[Orac]

Some people obviously have a higher opinion of Mossad than I do.

Whether or not the guy is concocting a story, the fact remains Mossad are a law unto themselves and the Israelis a menace to any kind of sustained Middle East peace, that exacerbated by American politicians perceived need to court the Jewish Americans' vote - and money.

Could Mossad be any more of a barrier to peace than Hezbollah's denial of Israel's right to exist?

At the end od WWII there were many changes to national boundaries that most of those affected have learned to live with and got on with their lives. Germany was split, peacefully reunited and prospered. Japan lost all its territorial gains, learned to trade for what it needs, and prospered. One group has wasted 60 years, caused the deaths of thousands, very little has changed, and many are still living in refugee camps.

Clearly defined borders are crucial to this, especially when that border is between two groups who are not on the best of terms. There have been recent problems in Thailand/Cambodia over this where a border is in dispute.

[anterian]

Some basic facts need to be emphasised, possession of Ammonium nitrate without a licence is illegal. Urea, unrefined agricultural grade has a very distinctive smell. This would seem to be a refined odourless form, or the neighbours would have noticed. If a setup, why 4000 Kilos, surely a few hundred kilos would be enough. If Mossad were involved why bother with an arrest, hitmen come cheap in Thailand.

But the most telling fact is that the authorities were first alerted by fellow Lebanese that he had contacted in Bangkok. Would these Lebanese have alerted the Americans if he had simply asked them to help him shift a load of fertiliser?

[erobando]

Some people obviously have a higher opinion of Mossad than I do.

Whether or not the guy is concocting a story, the fact remains Mossad are a law unto themselves and the Israelis a menace to any kind of sustained Middle East peace, that exacerbated by American politicians perceived need to court the Jewish Americans' vote - and money.

Could Mossad be any more of a barrier to peace than Hezbollah's denial of Israel's right to exist?

At the end od WWII there were many changes to national boundaries that most of those affected have learned to live with and got on with their lives. Germany was split, peacefully reunited and prospered. Japan lost all its territorial gains, learned to trade for what it needs, and prospered. One group has wasted 60 years, caused the deaths of thousands, very little has changed, and many are still living in refugee camps.

Except in the case of Hezbollah, the beef with Israel is not directly about the results of WW2 but about the events and results of the Lebanese Civil War. The Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon had nothing to do with WW2, neither did the motives of the protagonists of the Lebanese Civil War.

Whether or not Hezbollah's military wing is needed to defend Lebanon from Israel is a real and contemporary debate within Lebanon, as is whether or not Syria's influence in Lebabon is beneficial.

In any event, we don't know what the truth is here or whether not this guy is guilty.

Planted evidence is certainly not impossible.

Maybe not directly by Mossad but the Thai police aren't above fabricating crimes. I'm sure something like this would demand a much higher payout than the normal 3,000 Baht they get for petty crimes.

Or maybe there was no payout and the Thai police just wanted a show arrest to show that everything here is "fine."

Hopefully if this guy goes to court, the trial is fair.

[PingManDan]

OK OK even if there is a slim, very remote chance that these materials found in his storage, weren't meant to be used here in Thailand, you can bet your sweet _ss they would be used somewhere in the world for a horrific terrorist act of destruction and death, I say hold him, let the US interrogate him (CIA) and we'll really find out what he is up to.

Edited January 20, 2012 by PingManDan

[SomTumTiger]

Put him on a plane and let them "rendition" his butt. His story has changed, and he has no credibility. Deport and wash hands.

[erobando]

Put him on a plane and let them "rendition" his butt. His story has changed, and he has no credibility. Deport and wash hands.

His story has changed? No, reports of his story has changed... not the same thing.

One is an interview from some Swedish newspaper; earlier reports of his "story" are what the Thai officials said that he told the police.

[Bosse137]

A question to anybody who knows the answer: Is it possible (legal) to have another passport besides the Swedish one? I did not think so,but i could be wrong.

[Lite Beer]

Search begins for second terrorist suspect

BANGKOK, 20 January 2012 (NNT) - After the Criminal Court has approved an arrest warrant for the second Lebanese terrorist suspect, Thai police are now on the hunt.

The Court has issued an arrest warrant for the 40-year-old James Sammy Paolo, who allegedly is an accomplice of arrested suspect Atris Hussein.

Mr Hussein was arrested last weekend. The police only charge him with illegal possession of ammonia nitrate, a chemical compound used in bomb making. The suspect and witnesses have implicated Mr Paolo as an accomplice. Police are still in the dark about the whereabouts of the second suspect.

In the meantime, the police have found a second safe house in Samut Sakhon Province which has been rented by the terrorist suspects. According to neighbors, the suspects moved several large boxes into the house in August 2010, but no one lived in the house. Mr Hussein reportedly moved the boxes out four months later, and the neighbors have never seen him since.

Since then, the house has been rented out to two other people.

-- NNT 2012-01-20

[XAR]

I believe him.

Israel has just assassinated a scientist in Iran and they want to throw the spotlight somewhere else.

Yeah, real plausible. Probably went something like this:

Mossad Agent: We just killed the Iranian Scientist and the world is starting to have a disfavorable view of us. What can we do? I've got it! Let's find an innocent Arab in Thailand who has a legitimate business and uses a warehouse. Then we can wait for him to inspect his warehouse and then when he is not looking, we will secretly slip 4000 Kg of fertilizer into the warehouse and some ammonium nitrate. That way, the world will look to this man and entirely forget about a dead Iranian scientist.

Somehow, I just don't see how the two could possibly be related, but if you think the Mossad cooked this up, then I guess it is a plausible theory. Oh wait, you did not forget about the dead Iranian scientist (which is conjecture at this point as to whether he was assassinated by an outside agency). I guess I am just smarter than Mossad. If I had wanted to frame someone for terrorist activities, I guess I would just have planted some type of paperwork implicating them. I guess it was easier to move 4000 Kg of fertilizer though. I should have thought of that much easier solution. Then again, if Mossad was convinced he was a terrorist and wanted to be rid of him, then they could have just taken care of him like the fellows in Dubai a few years ago. But I guess simple solutions never appeal to the big conspiracy theorists.

[Darkman]

Don't judge the man, because he's an Arab.

Don't cry racist when your caught red handed.

[TantraMantra]

I would almost believe him, if he hadn't fingered Mossad. If I found 4 tons of fertilizer in my house, I wouldn't have the faintest idea how it got there. I certainly wouldn't think about some foreign intelligence agency.... unless, of course, I was up to something.

Don't you get it. He's accusing his accusers. This is a very plausible story. Israel are the dirty tricks experts. There goal with USA is to make war with Iran asap.

[TantraMantra]

Don't judge the man, because he's an Arab.

Don't cry racist when your caught red handed.

He's a Stitched up Scapegoat. But I think he'll be released.

[TantraMantra]

I believe him.

Israel has just assassinated a scientist in Iran and they want to throw the spotlight somewhere else.

Yeah, real plausible. Probably went something like this:

Mossad Agent: We just killed the Iranian Scientist and the world is starting to have a disfavorable view of us. What can we do? I've got it! Let's find an innocent Arab in Thailand who has a legitimate business and uses a warehouse. Then we can wait for him to inspect his warehouse and then when he is not looking, we will secretly slip 4000 Kg of fertilizer into the warehouse and some ammonium nitrate. That way, the world will look to this man and entirely forget about a dead Iranian scientist.

Somehow, I just don't see how the two could possibly be related, but if you think the Mossad cooked this up, then I guess it is a plausible theory. Oh wait, you did not forget about the dead Iranian scientist (which is conjecture at this point as to whether he was assassinated by an outside agency). I guess I am just smarter than Mossad. If I had wanted to frame someone for terrorist activities, I guess I would just have planted some type of paperwork implicating them. I guess it was easier to move 4000 Kg of fertilizer though. I should have thought of that much easier solution. Then again, if Mossad was convinced he was a terrorist and wanted to be rid of him, then they could have just taken care of him like the fellows in Dubai a few years ago. But I guess simple solutions never appeal to the big conspiracy theorists.

The point is Mossad know he's innocent. He's a scapegoat to draw attention away from the assassination of the Iranian scientist and focus on Iranian backed terrorism. This is bogus and this Family guy has a very credible story. They should go and arrest some Israeli agents. They're ruining the Thai tourist industry.

[TantraMantra]

OK OK even if there is a slim, very remote chance that these materials found in his storage, weren't meant to be used here in Thailand, you can bet your sweet _ss they would be used somewhere in the world for a horrific terrorist act of destruction and death, I say hold him, let the US interrogate him (CIA) and we'll really find out what he is up to.

Yes a bit of water boarding and other gruesome torture would do nicely wouldn't it. Any vacancies at Gitmo?