The Erawan shrine bomb suspect Adem Karadag, also known as Bilal Turk, has dismissed allegations he had connections to any global Uighur network or the Grey Wolves Turkish nationalist group, his lawyer says.
Choochart Khanpai relayed his comments to the media after a two-hour meeting with the suspect, who has allegedly confessed to placing a rucksack with explosives at the shrine on Aug 17. He is being detained at the 11th Military Circle in Thanon Nakhon Chaisi sub-district of Bangkok's Dusit district.
However, the lawyer said Mr Karadag told him his family was affected by a series of riots that broke out on July 5, 2009 in the capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.
Chinese officials at the time said 197 people died in the violence in Urumqi.
Mr Karadag does not want his lawyer or any state officials to contact his relatives about his detention and his charges over the bomb case in Thailand as he was concerned about their safety, Mr Choochart said.
The suspect stands by his previous confession to all charges against him in connection with the shrine and Sathon pier bombings, the lawyer said.
The charges are premeditated murder, attempted murder, making bombs that caused deaths and injuries and damaged property, malicious damage, possessing unauthorised explosives, carrying explosives in a public place and possessing military hardware without a permit.
Mr Choochart said he would seek to have Mr Karadag's future sentence commuted on the grounds he had confessed to the charges.
