Police: Shrine bomber's escape is media's fault

Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda on Thursday blamed the media for the prime suspect's escape and hindering the hunt for other suspects, saying they can follow the authorities' every move through reports.

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Police lead suspect Yusufu Mieraili on a very public re-enactment of his role leading up to the August 17 bombing. PATTANPONG HIRUNARD

Cops blame media after probe stalls

Chakthip says bomb suspect flown the coop

Post Reporters

The hunt for the yellow-shirted Erawan shrine bomber is back to square one because the suspect knows every move of the police due to media reports, deputy national police chief Chakthip Chaijinda says.

The senior police officer made the comment as one more arrest warrant was issued for a Pakistani suspect for allegedly assisting the conspirators.

"Honestly, I regret [that we wasted so much time]...he [the suspect] is now like a free bird and we don't know where he is heading to. I believe the suspected bomber has already fled Malaysia," he said.

"Last week, I was one hundred percent sure [of arresting him], but this week we have to start all over again," said Pol Gen Chakthip, who will be the Royal Thai Police chief from October.

It was earlier reported the suspect had fled to Malaysia with the help of Thai and Malaysian nationals.

Pol Gen Chakthip on Thursday blamed the media for hindering the hunt for suspects, saying they can follow the authorities' every move through reports.

"Go ahead, report more  and police will find it even harder to catch the suspects. If there had not been media reports about suspects fleeing here and there, they would have been arrested last week.

"I do understand the nature of the media and the media should try to understand police investigators, too," said Pol Gen Chakthip.

CCTV video clips provided by Royal Thai Police show the likely bomber in the yellow T-shirt approaching Ratchaprasong intersection and then, below, sitting on a bench at the Erawan shrine where he left his backpack with the bomb in it.

"We've worked very hard to come this far in the investigation and we had not told anyone else where the suspects were. But others [the media] did.

"This has resulted in the police wasting a lot of time, and we now don't know where they [suspected bombers] are going next and we are now back at square one," he said.

It is also still unclear if Malaysian authorities will allow Thai officials to question the three suspects detained in Malaysia on suspicion of human trafficking, Pol Gen Chakthip said. He believes the three hold crucial information about the suspected bombers.

If the police have the opportunity to speak to the three suspects in Malaysia, they will be able to gather information about where the alleged bombers are now, he said.

Even though these suspects have not yet been charged with terrorism, Thai police can still seek cooperation from Interpol and relevant embassies in tracking them down, he added.

New warrant: Pakistani Abdul Tawab, accused of possession of explosives

Meanwhile, the Min Buri provincial court approved an arrest warrant Thursday for Abdul Tawab, a 40-year-old Pakistani national, who is alleged to have twice transferred money to accounts belonging to Emrah Davutoglu -- the husband of Thai suspect Wanna Suansan.

Ms Wanna rented a room at the Maimuna Garden apartment in Min Buri where bomb-making material was discovered.

Mr Tawab is believed to be the leader of the human trafficking network that smuggled Uighurs into a third country through Thailand. He is also believed to have arranged for the man wearing a blue T-shirt caught on CCTV before the Sathon pier bombing and an unidentified man to flee to Malaysia, according to his arrest warrant.

Mr Tawab is the 13th suspect for whom an arrest warrant has been issued in the investigation into last month's bombings.

Yusufu Mieraili, 25, a detained suspect, has told police investigators he knew Mr Tawab while other witnesses told police they had seen Mr Tawab and Mr Mieraili at the Pool Anant apartment in Nong Chok district, which was raided on Aug 29.

National police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri said police are investigating whether Mr Tawab is the husband of Panisara Chalirom, 39, who was detained at an apartment in the Din Daeng area for moving the personal belongings of a suspect.

She is also believed to have called a taxi for the man in the blue shirt after the bombing at Sathon pier.

Mr Tawab could be the financier of the bomb attacks and the person who arranged for the other suspects to flee Thailand after the explosions, said Pol Lt Gen Prawut.

Citing a preliminary investigation, he said, Ms Panisara was well aware of Mr Tawab's alleged illegal entry into Thailand and escape and she provided him with accommodation during his stay.

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