Arrest warrants sought for 16 from military court

[Lite Beer]

Arrest warrants sought for 16 from military court
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- CHANGE IN CASE JURISDICTION IN KEEPING WITH NCPO GUIDELINES, SAYS CITY POLICE CHIEF

POLICE INVESTIGATORS yesterday sought permission from a military court to issue arrest warrants for 16 suspects for their alleged involvement in last month's bombing at the Erawan Shrine, the Metropolitan Police commissioner said.

All of them, including Adem Karadag, who is now believed to have been the bomber, have been charged with colluding in committing premeditated murders and attempted murders and colluding in an explosion that caused deaths, Police Lt-General Sriwara Rangsipramanakul said yesterday.

Investigators are convinced that Karadag, or Bilal Muhammed, is the man seen in CCTV images in a yellow T-shirt who left a backpack containing an explosive device at the shrine on August 17. The explosion left 20 people dead and more than 100 others injured; many foreign tourists were among the casualties.

Sriwara said police have evidence to prove that Karadag was the bomber. The suspect had earlier confessed his role.

Sixteen arrest warrants had been issued for suspects in connection with the bomb blasts at the Erawan Shrine and for a blast at Sathorn Pier the following day.

The Metropolitan Police chief said yesterday that the new arrest warrants being sought from the military court would be for both Thai and foreign suspects, adding that some have already had arrest warrants issued for them by a civilian court. But he declined to identify all of them, claiming he could not remember all the names.

"In seeking the arrest warrants from the military court, the police is acting in line with an order from the National Council for Peace and Order," he said without elaborating.

Under an NCPO order issued after the coup, cases involving explosive materials that are considered military supplies must come under the jurisdiction of the military court, a source familiar with the police investigation said yesterday. That was why the new arrest warrants were being sought from the military court.

Royal Thai Police spokesman Lt-General Prawut Thavornsiri said yesterday that two of the new arrest warrants being sought from the military court were for two foreigners not on the wanted list earlier. Eight other suspects were those already wanted through arrest warrants issued by civilian courts.

Police to reveal 'whole picture' soon

Prawut said investigators had long suspected that Karadag, who was arrested at his apartment room in a Bangkok suburb late last month, was the bomber but they had no clinching evidence to prove it. "Now there is more evidence and there are witnesses who confirm our earlier suspicion," he said, adding the police would soon reveal to the public "the whole picture" of this case.

Meanwhile, national police chief Pol General Somyot Poompanmuang has instructed his adviser on forensic science, Police General Jarumporn Suramanee, to work with the Metropolitan Police for digital 'superimposition' of images to determine whether Karadag is the bomber, whose image was caught on security cameras.

Somyot said an ally country and a company with the necessary equipment had offered to help with the digital superimposition, but he declined to identify them.

The police chief said that personally he was convinced that Karadag was the bomber. He added that the suspect had confessed to his role without being tortured. Karadag's lawyer Choochart Khanphai, yesterday denied media reports that his client had confessed to planting the explosive device.

"My client, a Turkish citizen, maintains that he came into the country on August 21, which is after the bombing," the lawyer told Deutsche Presse-Agentur by phone. The man travelled to Thailand on a fake passport, hoping to continue to Malaysia in search of work, he said.

However, a police source said yesterday that Karadag was caught on security camera inside a Bangkok convenience store in early August.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Arrest-warrants-sought-for-16-from-military-court-30269589.html

-- The Nation 2015-09-26

[Oziex1]

Do I have 17 going once, twice!

[ChrisY1]

So I guess this means that it will trial be a military court with no appeals.....and possibly, no defence.

[NeilSA1]

"The police chief said that .... the suspect had confessed to his role without being tortured...."

That's really decent of them.

[johna]

If they arrest enough people, theres a good chance one of them might be the bomber

[smutcakes]

Seems like they possibly believe they have the right person but do not have enough evidence to put them on trial in a normal court. The only way around this might be perhaps to do it in a military court where it could possibly be less open to scrutiny.

[Oziex1]

"The police chief said that .... the suspect had confessed to his role without being tortured...."

That's really decent of them.

Is that why they are continuing to look for evidence as the confession without torture is unconvincing?

[asdecas]

Seems like they possibly believe they have the right person but do not have enough evidence to put them on trial in a normal court. The only way around this might be perhaps to do it in a military court where it could possibly be less open to scrutiny.

As if civil courts and judges have ever been a hindrance to convicting the innocent in Thailand...

[JAG]

So I guess this means that it will trial be a military court with no appeals.....and possibly, no defence.

Seems like they possibly believe they have the right person but do not have enough evidence to put them on trial in a normal court. The only way around this might be perhaps to do it in a military court where it could possibly be less open to scrutiny.

Rather go together do they not?

[jlwilliamsjr18]

The entire country was involved, warrants will be issued and mass arrest will commence.

[maccastime]

Karadag or Muhammed is the bomber? Take your pick.wonder how the Dna is going? What a total stuff up this has been yet again.why don't the Thai cops admit they have no experience in these matters.obtain assistance from other countries.get it right the first time.

[Cam Khao]

I have completely lost track now. It seems every day they are saying something new/different.

[IamNoone88]

So the guy on the immigration camera heading for Bangladesh and then Turkey ...... that was the bomber ........... who is he?

.... I promise to tell the picture, the whole picture and nothing but the picture ..... so help me etc......

[razer]

Keeping up Appearances. OMG If you remember the television program, imagine keeping the same genre with the you know who.

[noitom]

Another inept Tai ealine an an embarrassing Thai police poto op

[diehard60]

so this must be a terrorist attack, oh wait they said it was not. But they had raise the security around Thaiand because of ISIS. But there is not terrorists here.

[aripengu]

Starting to look very fishy like so many other cases in Thailand.

[JohnIrish]

Such negative comments! People were killed! Bombing is such a cowardly act. I hope they go after everyone involved.

[Artisi]

I have completely lost track now. It seems every day they are saying something new/different.

Same same but different -TIT

[ianf]

Such negative comments! People were killed! Bombing is such a cowardly act. I hope they go after everyone involved.

Look no further than the NATO/USA connection: These guys named or arrested are just the operators - many Uryghurs are smuggled through Thailand/Malaysia then Turkey to join the Grey Wolves - an underground terrorist organisation in part funded and trained by NATO/USA. Off course there was much displeasure that the Thais sent 100 guys back to China (it is suspected that they were off to Turkey to join the GWs). Given that it is now accepted that the Uryghurs were terrorists on the ground in Bangkok, given their connection to the Turkish/Uryghur network and the Grey Wolves and given the Grey Wolves' connection to the USA through funding channeled via the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) - who can resist seeing a connection straight to the heart of the USA? Then given Thaksin's on-record connection to the NED one can make another leap and another serious connection. The mind boggles. But I, for one, believe the truth may lay somewhere in that series of connections. In any case, it's worth raising the question!

[northernphil]

I have completely lost track now. It seems every day they are saying something new/different.

To be honest CK so have I. Terrorism/not terrorism , The perps are in Malaysia/Bangladesh/ Cambodia./ China. I am now loosing interest but maybe that's what the junta want ,not just me but everyone on the Globe loosing interest then it might all go away. The events on KT would of had the same outcome but for the influence of the outside world.

[silverhawk_usa]

Karadag or Muhammed is the bomber? Take your pick.wonder how the Dna is going? What a total stuff up this has been yet again.why don't the Thai cops admit they have no experience in these matters.obtain assistance from other countries.get it right the first time.

This is not either........., or.......... It is the SAME suspect using two different names and a false passport.

[lostmebike]

Just remember, the bomber(s) that terrorized Bangkok back in August are absolutely not `terrorists`.

Please never mention the `t` word again.

The arrest warrants will be for those involved in the bombing and definitely not for t********.

Good work RTP.

[tajtom]

The big chief in the back is thinking about his dirty girls and all his propertys... He could not give a hoot

The other fellas a showman and there arrest warrant happy now... It must be the in thing

[tajtom]

Ah yes and you tracked back through all that video footage to a 7 on the whim of a prayer LOL

I dealt it son

[tajtom]

Please show us the video footage of the conveniance store

Evidence or you blokes not require right

[Shawn0001]

Karadag or Muhammed is the bomber? Take your pick.wonder how the Dna is going? What a total stuff up this has been yet again.why don't the Thai cops admit they have no experience in these matters.obtain assistance from other countries.get it right the first time.

They are constantly investigating bombings in the South, the actually have a lot of experience.

[Shawn0001]

Just remember, the bomber(s) that terrorized Bangkok back in August are absolutely not `terrorists`.

Please never mention the `t` word again.

The arrest warrants will be for those involved in the bombing and definitely not for t********.

Good work RTP.

So you don't think this was done directly in retaliation for deporting the refugees to China?

[phoenixdoglover]

I agree the move to military warrants is to ensure "streamlined" justice. No messy open trial. No contradictory statements by reporters. Just the clear, unambiguous, and certain guilt of every accused person.

[Petchou]

If they arrest enough people, theres a good chance one of them might be the bomber

Arrest 75 millions lol