Police arrest eight, including four Malaysians, for Bangkok bombing
(Malay Mail Online) – The Malaysian police have arrested eight individuals including four locals for suspicion over the Bangkok bombing last month, said Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Noor Rashid Ibrahim.
He said the authorities working together with their Thai counterparts arrested the suspects in Kelantan and Kuala Lumpur this week.
“I would like to clarify following the bombing, police have worked together with Thai counterparts in efforts to locate and arrest those involved in the bombing.
“As of now, we’ve arrested eight suspects. Four are foreigners of Uighur origin. Four of them are locals. Those locals arrested involved in human trafficking,” he told reporters at a press conference in Bukit Aman today.
Noor Rashid however, said that the authorities are still in the process of verifying the identity of the detainees and none have admitted to the crime yet.
“So far they are being detained but we can’t confirm if it was them. There is no solid proof or confession from them yet that they are the ones who are involved in the bombing,” he said.
The local authorities would also be working closely with the Thai police to ensure the case is solved soon, Noor Rashid said.
“We have informed Thai police to assist them in a probe on the bombing last month. Maybe we can help them in physical evidence, witnesses and DNA test,” he explained.
Noor Rashid also said if the Thai authorities would like to extradite the suspects across the border, they would need to establish “basic proof” and go through proper legal channels.
“The Thai police need to have at least basic proof to request for them (suspects) to be brought back to Thailand.
“There should also be a request that they need to put in which will go have to go through the legal processes. The case is still in its investigative stages,” he added.
The August 17 bombing of a Hindu shrine killed 20 people, with the majority being ethnic Chinese tourists.
This raised suspicion that militants supporting Uighurs, an ethnic group facing heaving persecution in China was involved in the bombing.
