Sa Kaew suspect identifies mastermind of Bangkok blasts

[webfact]

BANGKOK BLAST
Sa Kaew suspect identifies mastermind of Bangkok blasts
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A bomb suspect who was arrested in Sa Kaew has told investigators that the mastermind of the Bangkok bomb attacks left the kingdom one day before the Erawan Shrine blast.

Yusufu Mieraili, who was arrested at a Sa Kaew border, identified the mastermind only as Izaan.

Mieraili said Izaan commanded the operation by using WhatsApp chatting application.

According to a source, Mierali testified that Izaan left Thailand via Suvarnabhumi International Airport on August 16 to China and then headed to Bangladesh.

Izaan commanded Mieraili, Adem Karadag, who was arrested at a Nong Chok apartment, a man in blue shirt who dropped a bomb at the Sathorn pier, the man in yellow shirt who left the bomb at the shrine, and an unidentified foreigner who lived at a room at a Minburi apartment where bomb making materials were found, Mieraili testified.

Mieraili said Izaan told him to buy bomb-making chemicals via Internet to make bombs. He reported to Izaan after the bombs were mad.

He was then ordered to carry a backpack with a bomb to leave it under a bench on a bank of Phadung Krungkasem Canal near Hua Lampong Railway station. Mieraili said the man in yellow shirt came to switch his backpack with the one with the bomb. He said he did not meet the man in yellow in person.

Meiraili said the mastermind also instructed him to take a video clip of the bomb attack but he dared not do it for fear of being arrested.

Meiraili was handed over by Army officers to the Metropolitan Police Monday afternoon.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/Sa-Kaew-suspect-identifies-mastermind-of-Bangkok-b-30268318.html


-- The Nation 2015-09-07

[EricBerg]

^{If all this is true I applaude Thai detective work on this, be it done by police or army or both, they did exceptionally well.}

[peterjackson]

Any 'cell' of any worth, would have their counter intelligence stories worked out before the 'act'. So how much of the story is true or false, only time will tell.

But it looks as though further mayhem has been thwarted by the recent 'raids' on apartments where materials appear to have been stored.

Excellent work by the Law Enforcement and Security/Military officials involved.

[isopax]

Mieraili said Izaan told him to buy bomb-making chemicals via Internet to make bombs. He reported to Izaan after the bombs were mad.

So it was not TNT that was used in those bombs ?

[chainarong]

Any 'cell' of any worth, would have their counter intelligence stories worked out before the 'act'. So how much of the story is true or false, only time will tell.

But it looks as though further mayhem has been thwarted by the recent 'raids' on apartments where materials appear to have been stored.

Excellent work by the Law Enforcement and Security/Military officials involved.

I would still be careful, Thailand is a country that has bombs go off at anytime, anywhere, all is not what is seems in Thai.

[Gulfsailor]

Mieraili said Izaan told him to buy bomb-making chemicals via Internet to make bombs. He reported to Izaan after the bombs were mad.

So it was not TNT that was used in those bombs ?

Why? You think TNT grows on trees in Thailand?

[tingtongfarang]

Wonder if the TNT got delivered by thai post ems and if he had to pay duty on it?

[mikemac]

Wonder if the TNT got delivered by thai post ems and if he had to pay duty on it?

If it was delivered by Thai Post, and it had the same outcome as the last thing I ever sent with them, the package would be lost and there would not have been a bombing.

[tomacht8]

What is really true, no one knows.

"Izaan left Thailand via Suvarnabhumi International Airport on August 16 to China and then headed to Bangladesh."
Would indeed lead to a picture, a name and a passport number.

"Mieraili said Izaan told him to buy bomb-making chemicals via Internet to make bombs."

That would indeed lead to order documents and addresses.

"Mieraili said Izaan commanded the operation by using WhatsApp chatting application."
Thailand should made a nice inquire at NSA for connecting documentation and IP´s.

I hope that they catch these scum of cowardly bombers.

Edited September 7, 2015 by tomacht8

[ddavidovsky]

Why am I getting Verbal Kint and Keyser Soze?

[phoenixdoglover]

This narrative doesn't hold together.

Notably, it leaves out the activities of the "mastermind" while in Thailand.

I would assume two elements would require skill: 1) formulating the plan, and 2) making the bombs

The "chemicals by Internet" part seems a bit off. Maybe protecting a local source of manufactured explosives.

I wonder if the RTP has received their explosive identification chemistry kits yet (speaking of things easily purchased on the Internet).

[Wilsonandson]

Izaan, sounds alot like Isarn. Are the police sure of this name?

[crabdog]

Way to go WhatsApp (WhatsCrap):

"Open Whisper said the new encryption would be the largest of its kind anywhere in the world, and would use TextSecure – a service which uses a cryptographic key that’s unique to individual devices – to protect its giant user base. Experts were quickly impressed, as Wired claimed the solution was “practically uncrackable“, and the Wall Street Journal stated that “the encryption is so robust that even the law enforcement won’t be able to decrypt WhatsApp messages“.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/whatsapp-encryption-now-secure-instant-messenger/

[pmugghc]

This narrative doesn't hold together.

Notably, it leaves out the activities of the "mastermind" while in Thailand.

I would assume two elements would require skill: 1) formulating the plan, and 2) making the bombs

The "chemicals by Internet" part seems a bit off. Maybe protecting a local source of manufactured explosives.

I wonder if the RTP has received their explosive identification chemistry kits yet (speaking of things easily purchased on the Internet).

The guy arrested at the border had studied chemical engineering.

[LarryBird]

How long until WhatsApp is banned?

[Prbkk]

How about WHY?

[otherstuff1957]

Izaan, sounds alot like Isarn. Are the police sure of this name?

A quick google shows that Izaan is an Arabic name that means Obedience.

[Artisi]

What is really true, no one knows.

"Izaan left Thailand via Suvarnabhumi International Airport on August 16 to China and then headed to Bangladesh."

Would indeed lead to a picture, a name and a passport number.

"Mieraili said Izaan told him to buy bomb-making chemicals via Internet to make bombs."

That would indeed lead to order documents and addresses.

"Mieraili said Izaan commanded the operation by using WhatsApp chatting application."

Thailand should made a nice inquire at NSA for connecting documentation and IP´s.

I hope that they catch these scum of cowardly bombers.

It's good you raised this point, trust the BIB are watching this forum for leads and advice.

[isopax]

Mieraili said Izaan told him to buy bomb-making chemicals via Internet to make bombs. He reported to Izaan after the bombs were mad.

So it was not TNT that was used in those bombs ?

Why? You think TNT grows on trees in Thailand?

Dont understand what you mean.

My understanding from day 1 was that they said it was TNT used as explosive in those bombs which one would assume is abit more difficult/suspect to get your hands on than if the bombs were made up with homemade explosives ex TATP maybe ? but someone said that the power of the blast could only be from either TNT or C4.

And as i read it it sounds like they made home cooked explosives and dont think you can homecook TNT ?

[Fat Haggis]

but but but...these were "sophisticated bombs"

[englishoak]

Dont believe this storyline much, for a start how does the guy know the one in yellow collected the backpack from the station if he never met him ? He would not have stuck around to watch who picked it up if asked to leave it at a drop. Sounds more like an assumption to me.

Sounds all too contrived storyline wrapped up in a nice encompassing explanation for all fingered so far to me.

Oh and its the Nation and an army handover to police with this storyline too, remember that.

Im sure this isnt the last official account but close to what it will want to say if closing the case.

Note we avoided the terrorism word again or reasons or cause or why any were involved at all which is the elephant in the room the authorities are trying to avoid mentioning.

[Srikcir]

Yusufu could have as easily performed all his activities without the command of a mastermind.

And how convenient that the mastermind has left Thailand.

In view of the uncomplicated tasks Yusufu performed, Izaan could have just directed him completely through the internet without ever coming to Thailand. But not only did Izaan make what seems an unnecessary risk of exposure coming to Thailand, he also gave Yusufu his travel intinerary. Meanwhile, Yusufu knowing virtually nothing about Izaan, assumes the entire risk of capture but seems to have no urgency in his own escape.

There is either more to the Izaan connection or there's nothing.

[Gulfsailor]

Mieraili said Izaan told him to buy bomb-making chemicals via Internet to make bombs. He reported to Izaan after the bombs were mad.

So it was not TNT that was used in those bombs ?

Why? You think TNT grows on trees in Thailand?

Dont understand what you mean.

My understanding from day 1 was that they said it was TNT used as explosive in those bombs which one would assume is abit more difficult/suspect to get your hands on than if the bombs were made up with homemade explosives ex TATP maybe ? but someone said that the power of the blast could only be from either TNT or C4.

And as i read it it sounds like they made home cooked explosives and dont think you can homecook TNT ?

TNT is one of the safest explosives to home cook. And for a chemist not difficult at all. Just very poisonous.

[isopax]

TNT is one of the safest explosives to home cook. And for a chemist not difficult at all. Just very poisonous.

Ok my bad, didnt know that :/

[MaxLee]

Yusufu could have as easily performed all his activities without the command of a mastermind.

And how convenient that the mastermind has left Thailand.

In view of the uncomplicated tasks Yusufu performed, Izaan could have just directed him completely through the internet without ever coming to Thailand. But not only did Izaan make what seems an unnecessary risk of exposure coming to Thailand, he also gave Yusufu his travel intinerary. Meanwhile, Yusufu knowing virtually nothing about Izaan, assumes the entire risk of capture but seems to have no urgency in his own escape.

There is either more to the Izaan connection or there's nothing.

Obviously he is just one of several sacrificial lambs for the face greedy-seeking RTP, to make them feel good about themselves that they arrested "a suspects"

[webfact]

BANGKOK BOMB BLAST
Chinese man accused of bomb mastermind
THE NATION


Yusufu Mieraili

Alleged bombmaker has told police his Chinese 'boss' flew out day before Erawarn Shrine blast

BANGKOK: -- A CHINESE national was behind the plot to bomb the Erawan Shrine and has already fled the country, one of the suspects in custody revealed yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Min Buri Court approved warrants for the arrest of two more suspects, bringing the total number issued in connection with Bangkok bombings to 11.

An informed source said that Yusufu Mieraili, who was arrested in the border province of Sa Kaew last week, implicated a Chinese man and described him as the mastermind behind the blast.

"His name is Izan," Mieraili was quoted as saying. "He left Thailand via Suvarnabhumi Airport on August 16."

Based on the suspect's testimony, six people were involved in the Erawan Shrine blast and the Sathorn Pier bomb. The alleged accomplices were Izan, Mieraili, Adem Karadag, the man in the yellow T-shirt, a man in a blue shirt and another unidentified foreigner.

According to the source, Izan contacted Mieraili and other alleged accomplices via the WhatsApp chat application, adding that the accomplices did not know each other.

The source said Mieraili was in charge of bomb making, and had procured materials via the Internet, adding that the suspect was also instructed to put the bomb inside a backpack and place it under a bench along the Phadung Krung Kasem Canal on August 17.

"Mieraili has never seen the man in the yellow T-shirt in person," the source added.

Authorities have identified the man in a yellow T-shirt, captured on CCTV leaving a backpack under a bench in the shrine compound on August 17. The bomb inside the backpack exploded, killing 20 people and injuring more than 120 others. The man in the yellow T-shirt is yet to be identified. The man in the blue shirt was seen kicking a bag believed to contain a bomb into a canal near Sathorn Pier. That bomb exploded the following day without causing any casualty.

The source said Mieraili was in the neighbourhood when the Erawan Shrine blast happened, because Izan wanted him to record the incident and send photographs via WhatsApp.

However, authorities say Mieraili did not take pictures because he was worried he might arouse suspicion.

Mieraili was handed over to police yesterday, after spending the past week in military custody.

Arrested on August 26 for possession of bomb-making materials, Karadag is now being detained in Min Buri Prison.

So far, 11 arrest warrants have been issued, some with sketches of unidentified suspects. Of those wanted for the Bangkok bombings, one is a Thai woman, Wanna Suansan, whose Turkish husband, Emrah Davutoglu, is also a suspect.

The two new arrest warrants issued yesterday are for Abdullah Abdul Rahman, who is about 180 centimetres tall, and a man who is about 175 centimetres tall.

The warrant for the unnamed suspect is based on a photograph of him that was obtained from a department store in Min Buri district. Both were seen in apartment where bomb-making materials were found stored.

Deputy National Police Commissioner Pol General Chakthip Chaijinda said yesterday that the man in the yellow T-shirt and the man in the blue shirt had been active in a neighbouring country.

The Shrine explosion is described as the worst such attack on Thai soil.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Chinese-man-accused-of-bomb-mastermind-30268371.html

-- The Nation 2015-09-08

[ksamuiguy]

Bull Shit!

[Dogmatix]

I don't they knew for sure there was TNT in the bombs. At one point they said it was C4. Pure TNT makes black smoke. The bomb at the pier made white smoke which ruled out TNT as the main component for that one. There could have been a small amount of TNT mixed with fertiliser or more likely fertiliser only. It doesn't sound like this group had the local connections to get TNT on Thailand. They sent a foreigner to buy fertiliser and other bomb making materials near where they were assuming the bombs and then left all the stuff and one of the operatives in place to get caught. It would have made more sense to get locals in different parts of the country to buy theatrical and assemble it elsewhere. Then shut down the cell immediately after the blasts. Other cells could be activated later if more blasted were desired.

[Charlie Croker]

I'm not sure I believe him.

Torture him a lot in case he he is lying. After all, violence is an accepted method of communication for this guy.

While you're at it, cut off his hands to stop him escaping.

[teacherpaul]

The fact that a court in knuckle-dragging mullet-haired Minburi is getting involved just about says it all. Are they on the electric yet?