Thai court jails Iranian pair over botched Bangkok bomb plot

[webfact]

Thai court jails Iranian pair over botched Bangkok bomb plot

by Thanaporn PROMYAMYAI

BANGKOK, August 22, 2013 (AFP) - Two Iranian men were sentenced to between 15 years and life Thursday for their parts in a botched bomb plot last year in Bangkok that ended with one of them having his legs blown off.

Saeid Moradi, 29, who lost his limbs as he hurled an explosive device at police, was found guilty on charges including attempted murder and handed a life term by the Bangkok Southern Criminal court.

A judge said the court found him "guilty of carrying explosives in public, using explosives to attempt to kill officials and using explosives which caused the destruction of property."

"Because attempted murder displays serious intent the court sentenced him to life in prison," he added.

A second defendant, Mohammad Khazaei, 43, was given a 15-year jail term for possession of explosives.

The pair, who had denied the charges, were among five Iranians suspected of involvement in the blasts that followed attacks in India and Georgia targeting Israeli diplomats.

A huge explosion tore the roof off a house in suburban Bangkok on February 14 last year, when bombs detonated apparently accidentally, sending the five men fleeing into the streets.

Prosecutors accused Moradi of hurling one bomb at a taxi and a second at two police officers as they approached him on the street, but it instead detonated near him.

The court heard that Khazaei ran out of the house after the first explosion and headed to the airport where police arrested him at the boarding gate.

Israel accused Tehran of waging a terror campaign over the Bangkok bomb plot.

"This sentence proves once again that Iran is engaged and in proliferation of terror all around the world," Israeli ambassador Simon Roded told reporters after attending the court hearing.

He thanked the Thai government for its response to the blasts.

"I hope that other countries will join Thailand in fighting this terror and bringing terrorists to justice," said the diplomat, who was flanked by bodyguards as he watched proceedings.

Moradi, who appeared in court in a wheelchair, had argued in his defence that he had accidentally found bombs in the Bangkok property and was trying to dispose of them safely when they detonated.

The court also found him guilty of possession of explosives.

The pair, who arrived at court in prison clothes, were also handed financial penalties over the incident, including two million baht ($62,000) compensation payment for the damage to the Bangkok house.

They appeared subdued as they heard the sentencing.

One man is in custody in Malaysia, where he fled after the Bangkok explosions, and is fighting extradition to Thailand.

Two other suspects are believed to have returned to Iran.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2013-08-22

[Tywais]

No terrorism charges?

[chooka]

There isn't any terrorism in Thailand, never has been and never will be as the government keeps reiterating. It is bad for tourism and gives a distorted image of Thailand. It is more like lads skylarking.

Edited August 22, 2013 by chooka

[simple1]

No terrorism charges?

Speculation, but it may have been deemed easier & less diplomatically conflicting to charge them under the normal criminal code, rather than under the Thai 2003 terrorism legislation that may have required to prove they were members of an Iranian state sponsored terrorism group.

[chooka]

No terrorism charges?

Speculation, but it may have been deemed easier & less diplomatically conflicting to charge them under the normal criminal code, rather than under the Thai 2003 terrorism legislation that may have required to prove they were members of an Iranian state sponsored terrorism group.

and when you are trying to offload all your rotting rice onto Iran, it wouldn't be a very good business move.

[gemini81]

No terrorism charges?

Legs blown off (by self) and a life long sentence in a high security Thai prison; any real need for more charges?

Guess if they didn't think 2010's mob was terror, what on earth would be?!

[Jingthing]

Yes it's a politically delicate case, with Thailand not wanting to appear to take any sides in the Iran-Israel conflict, so given that, I think they did O.K. in dealing with these obviously guilty Iranians. A middle way but they're still going to the hoosegow.

[Pattaya28]

Nothing could be worse than getting life imprisonment in a Thai prison, except getting life imprisonment and being legless.

Serves this Iranian terrorist right.

How dare he come to this Kingdom loaded with bombs.

I think it was kind of the Thai courts to spare him the death sentence.

[Jingthing]

Nothing could be worse than getting life imprisonment in a Thai prison, except getting life imprisonment and being legless.

Serves this Iranian terrorist right.

How dare he come to this Kingdom loaded with bombs.

I think it was kind of the Thai courts to spare him the death sentence.

Yeah, instead of saying RIP we can say Rot In Peace ...

[timjonespserve]

Terrorism charges would mean they would then be extraditable to Israel. Thailand is quite sensibly staying out of a diplomatic sh.t fight.

[Jingthing]

Terrorism charges would mean they would then be extraditable to Israel. Thailand is quite sensibly staying out of a diplomatic sh.t fight.

Are you sure about that? I'm skeptical. So Thailand exports it's own domestic terrorists to foreign countries for trial? Doesn't Thailand have terrorism specific laws on their own books?

[Tywais]

Doesn't Thailand have terrorism specific laws on their own books?

Would say so as Thaksin had a warrant issued for terrorism charges. Obviously domestic not International.

[Nickymaster]

No amnesty for these guys? After all they only made and detonated some bombs....

[hanno]

accidentally found bombs in the Bangkok property and was trying to dispose of them safely

[transam]

No terrorism charges?

Legs blown off (by self) and a life long sentence in a high security Thai prison; any real need for more charges?

Guess if they didn't think 2010's mob was terror, what on earth would be?!

I am happy it was his legs and not perhaps your kids.

[jaidam]

As a hater of double standards I was sorry to see this verdict. really they should have been paid 7.5 million baht each at the very least for having been detained in prison for 5 months, if not given a party list MP status as well.

[bigwilly]

Eye witness reports Mr Moradi was legless when the sentence was handed down.

Som Nam Na.

BW

[transam]

Eye witness reports Mr Moradi was legless when the sentence was handed down.

Som Nam Na.

BW

An arm and a leg was offered as he thought he was armless but to no avail, a foot hold on the case did not work and the prosecution won hands down, it was a noooooooooo brain-er.

[simple1]

........One man is in custody in Malaysia, where he fled after the Bangkok explosions, and is fighting extradition to Thailand...

Hmmm....wonder if the Malaysians will extradite a fellow muslim to face the music..

When hell freezes over..

Malaysian court did permit the extradtion, but now held up as his lawyers have appealed. At least the Malaysians did not provide bail as Thailand did for the Iranian accused of forging pasports for human traffickers and terrorists and subsequesntly jumped bail. He was captured last week in Malaysia and Thailand has also requested his extradition.

Edited August 22, 2013 by simple1

[rgs2001uk]

Eye witness reports Mr Moradi was legless when the sentence was handed down.

Som Nam Na.

BW

An arm and a leg was offered as he thought he was armless but to no avail, a foot hold on the case did not work and the prosecution won hands down, it was a noooooooooo brain-er.

The judge told him, to stop bumming around you dont have a leg to stand on, next case please.

[Pimay1]

Moradi, who appeared in court in a wheelchair, had argued in his defence that he had accidentally found bombs in the Bangkok property and was trying to dispose of them safely when they detonated.

I wonder why the judge didn't give him an additional five years for lying to the court.

[transam]

Eye witness reports Mr Moradi was legless when the sentence was handed down.

Som Nam Na.

BW

An arm and a leg was offered as he thought he was armless but to no avail, a foot hold on the case did not work and the prosecution won hands down, it was a noooooooooo brain-er.

The judge told him, to stop bumming around you dont have a leg to stand on, next case please.

They replied, "I have AN eye on you", and my EAR is open to listen to your summing up, but I am deaf to it all. Wish I had a tongue to give you a lashing but my lips are sealed, permanently.

[Jingthing]

The legless one will probably be getting "special" treatment at one of those fancy schmancy prison hospitals ...

[rebbu]

It'll be interesting when the prison officer try to put the leg chains on him.

[ttthailand]

Why does this guy have a wheelchair when so many Poor Thais have to drag themselves along the ground ? I say give it to someone who is more deserving.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Eye witness reports Mr Moradi was legless when the sentence was handed down.

Som Nam Na.

BW

An arm and a leg was offered as he thought he was armless but to no avail, a foot hold on the case did not work and the prosecution won hands down, it was a noooooooooo brain-er.

Tired Old Joke Alert:

I'm sure glad I wasn't Moradi's defense attorney. Clearly, he did have a ... (you know what I mean....)

[jaidam]

Eye witness reports Mr Moradi was legless when the sentence was handed down.

Som Nam Na.

BW

An arm and a leg was offered as he thought he was armless but to no avail, a foot hold on the case did not work and the prosecution won hands down, it was a noooooooooo brain-er.

Tired Old Joke Alert:

I'm sure glad I wasn't Moradi's defense attorney. Clearly, he did have a ... (you know what I mean....)

Not for the feint of heart but the Youtube video a witness posted is bloody hilarious. It has our legless bomber lying next to the phone booth wiggling the bony stumps of what were just a few seconds before perfectly good legs. His pants are about 5 meters above him in the branches of a tree, and if that's not funny enough he is also having a good moan about his predicament. Not sure if its still available to watch but well worth a butchers if its still there.

[hellodolly]

As a hater of double standards I was sorry to see this verdict. really they should have been paid 7.5 million baht each at the very least for having been detained in prison for 5 months, if not given a party list MP status as well.

It's not over till the fat lady sings.

[metisdead]

A post using over size font in all caps has been removed as well as a reply.

[marell]

No terrorism charges?

It couldn't be proved that they had clicked the 'like' button on any blogs.