Police seize chemicals cache

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Terror suspect leads way to bomb materials

Published: 17 Jan 2012 at 00.06
Newspaper section: News

Police have charged a Swedish-Lebanese man with suspected links to the Hezbollah militant group with possession of prohibited substances after they found a huge cache of materials used for making explosives in Samut Sakhon's Muang district Monday.

The Swedish passport used to enter Thailand and carried by Mr Atris when he was arrested last week.

More than 200 police Monday raided a three-storey commercial building in the Mahachai area after Hussein Atris, a Lebanese man carrying a Swedish passport, was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Thursday evening.

National Police chief Priewpan Damapong said 4,380kg of urea-based fertiliser and 290 litres of ammonium nitrate were found on the second floor of the building.

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Seb

Discussion 12 : 17 Jan 2012 at 07.0612
Thailand just wanted to deport him so he can go and blow up farangs in another country. Shame on you.
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khunbj
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Discussion 11 : 17 Jan 2012 at 06.4311
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A governments duty during times like this is to act calm and not cause unnecessary panic in the population ... most commenters do not seem to understand this here.
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not the usual farang

Discussion 10 : 17 Jan 2012 at 05.4810
Yes, the US does have alot to answer for but if this person was actually caught with bomb making material and confessed to planning a bomb attack on Thai soil, then I truly hope your government treats him with all the hospitality as given to convicted drug dealers. Do not forget that when militants launched bomb attacks on Bali the majority of deaths were local Indonesians. I would hate to see this happen to Thailand. Theses kinds of extremists are a cancer on society and should be locked up, not deported so they can try again. You don't have to give in to the wants of the US, but be vigilant of these new global threats in the best way Thailand can.
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davidinbkk
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Discussion 9 : 17 Jan 2012 at 05.439
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Why would you say this is a lie med142? All the facts are there and the US are trying to look out for the safety of both the Americans and the Thais. The US are one of Thailand's closer allies, helping Thailand in many ways, most recently during the flood with money and supplies. When it comes to terrorism, you cannot have the "mai pen rai" attitude. I applaud the US for putting out the terror warning. What do you think the Lebanese man was going to do with 4,380kg of urea-based fertiliser and 290 litres of ammonium nitrate that's being stored away inside a building?
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paul_giles
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Discussion 8 : 17 Jan 2012 at 04.438
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Typical Thai government response can't wait to put people's lives in danger when any money is at stake. The government will make ridiculous statements such as "the terrorists said Thailand was not their target so everything is normal now." As a general rule of thumb, whatever the government says, the opposite is likely to be true.
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ykcir9
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Discussion 7 : 17 Jan 2012 at 04.037
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no terorist threat. remember Bali.
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brilliant
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Discussion 6 : 17 Jan 2012 at 04.026
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I'm sure the slippers will be an important clue. Was there any dirty underwear also?
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ykcir9
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Discussion 5 : 17 Jan 2012 at 04.015
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you found a terroist that admitted to planning an attack . showed his casche of explosives.
adimitted freely to planning an attack but remiged becausethe time wasnt quite right.
since when is thaland on of the countries that bASH THE UNITED STATES. ALLY. the us gaye tham a heads up.and the government and police were caught with heir pants down.so to save face bash the us? again it seems the pt is ore concerned aboiut the tourist dollar than safty of their citizens and guests. do yu thin that this plan if undiscovered would only kill farangs. you shpuld be asshamed
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boris
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Discussion 4 : 17 Jan 2012 at 03.264
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I don't understand all the focus on some anonymous official's suspicion that the explosives were a setup and that the US supposedly wanted him held.

Frankly, so far, we've heard the following explanations, all in this paper and from Thai officials:

1. Five or six terror suspects entered the country. Israel warned Thailand, but the terrorists visited the South and left the country. Suddenly, one was arrested and a second was on the loose. Thai immigration unable to produce a photo or name.

2.. The arrested suspect didn't do anything illegal and there was no threat, but he admitted to planning attacks on western tourist rich sites in Bangkok. Since this isn't illegal, apparently, they were about to deport him.

3. Thai authorities were shown an enormous cache of explosives by a terror suspect. Turns out, he was never going to bomb anything in Thailand, but instead was taking explosives out of kitty litter bags and shipping them in fan boxes around the world.

4. Terror organization calls off terror attacks that were never going to happen in Thailand. Thai authorities guarantee security of everybody

5. The whole arrest and explosives cache is just a clever move by theUS to make Thailand a terror-fighting stooge.

6. Thai authorities are upset that nations are warning citizens about possible terror attacks, but unable to explain the situation in any rational way.

I am coming to Thailand in 2 weeks. I sure hope thethai authorities can explain the situation and assuage the world's concerns. Thailand and the Thai people deserve the best in life and peace. The Thais should demand that the government and authorities do what is in the best interest of everybody and root out evil terrorist plots that will do far more harm to Thailand than they will the US Or Israel.
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upena
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Discussion 3 : 17 Jan 2012 at 02.293
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"But as it happened, the suspect was held in detention because the US wanted him detained, which could spell trouble for Thailand."

Had he been deported straight away, the cache of explosive making materials would still be there.

Looks like more deflection from the Thai Government as part of their damage control plan.
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Police seize chemicals cache | Bangkok Post: news