Erawan suspects re-enact bombing

Police are working on the theory Yusufu Mieraili detonated the Erawan Shrine bomb with a mobile phone after it was planted by key suspect Adem Karadag.

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Erawan suspects re-enact bombing

Police believe mobile phone used to detonate bomb

POST REPORTERS

Police are working on the theory Yusufu Mieraili detonated the Erawan Shrine bomb with a mobile phone after it was planted by key suspect Adem Karadag.

The allegation was made yesterday as the two suspects were taken to the Ratchaprasong intersection and other areas connected to the bombing for a re-enactment of the events leading up to the Aug 17 blast which killed 20 people and injured more than 100 others.

Police spokesman Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thawornsiri said although Mr Mieraili had not confessed to detonating the bomb, investigators allege he used a mobile phone that he later threw into Saen Saep canal to do so.

Mr Karadag, also known as Bilal Turk or Bilal Mohammed, was arrested in Nong Chok on Aug 29, while Mr Mieraili was arrested in Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district on Sept 1.

A police source said Mr Mieraili had only confessed to delivering a bag containing explosives to Mr Karadag. Police believe he stood outside the nearby CentralWorld mall to take photos of the blast.

Yusufu Mieraili, who police allege detonated the bomb remotely, is seen during yesterday's re-enactment. PATIPAT JANTHONG

Pol Lt Gen Prawut said anger among human trafficking gangs whose illegal businesses had been hindered by the government's crackdown was still the most likely motive for the bomb.

National police chief Somyot Poompunmuang is due to give a further update tomorrow on the shrine bombing case and the related explosion at the Sathon pier on Aug 18. More arrest warrants would be sought for other suspects this week.

Mr Karadag has been charged with premeditated murder.

“Today, police are confident Adem and Yusufu are the real attackers,” Pol Gen Somyot said yesterday. "Adem is the yellow-shirted man who planted the bomb. Yusufu is the one who exploded the bomb."

Pol Gen Somyot said Mr Karadag had made confessions that were consistent with witness statements and evidence police had secured.

Pol Gen Somyot alleged both Mr Karadag and Mr Mieraili had named other suspects and police were working to secure evidence against them.

Police are still hunting the blue-shirted suspect, identified only as Zubair, who they believe was the man captured on CCTV footage before the Sathon pier explosion.

Two separate teams of police and military took Mr Karadag and Mr Mieraili to several spots they allegedly visited on Aug 17 before and after the bombing.

Mr Karadag began at the Erawan Shrine, where he allegedly planted the bag containing the bomb. The suspect emerged from a van wearing a yellow T-shirt with a bulletproof vest over it, handcuffed and holding a large plastic bag. He was led into the shrine, where he sat on a bench, left the bag behind and left the scene.

He was then taken to Soi Mahatlek Luang where he is thought to have hailed a motorcycle taxi to travel to a bus stop near Lumpini Park. The third spot was Gate 5 of Lumpini Park, where the suspect was seen entering restroom No 6 to remove a wig and glasses and change from the yellow T-shirt to a grey one. Police believe Mr Karadag left the park through Gate 4 and took a taxi to the Pool Anant Apartments in Nong Chok, where bomb-making materials were found on the day of his arrest.

Adem Karadag sits on a bench near Hua Lamphong train station where he allegedly received the backpack containing the bomb from Yusufu Mieraili. PATIPAT JANTHONG

Police later took Mr Karadag to Hua Lamphong train station where he allegedly received the backpack from Mr Mieraili before travelling by tuk-tuk to the shrine.

He was also taken to a tuk-tuk garage near Wat Duang Khae temple, and to an area outside the Ramada hotel where he allegedly met Zubair.

After the re-enactments, both suspects were taken back to the 11th Army Circle where they are being held. A request to detain them for a further 12 days was approved yesterday.

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