Bangkok bombing suspects 'arrested' abroad (Updated)

Details are still sketchy concerning the arrests in Turkey of Wanna Suansan and her Turkish husband, wanted in connection with the Erawan Shrine and Sathon pier bombings.

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Friday morning update

Here is what is new this morning. Very little has been officially confirmed.

Erawan suspects 'arrested' in Turkey

Post reporters

Wanna Suansan, the Thai woman who allegedly rented a room for suspects in the Erawan shrine and Sathon pier blasts, and her Turkish husband have been arrested in Turkey, according to a high-ranking police source.

However, no details were released by the authorities confirming the couple's arrest.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said Thursday he had not been officially informed of the couple's arrest. If this were true, he would receive a report and the Foreign Ministry would then coordinate with Turkey.

Speculation about the pair's arrest came after deputy national police chief Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul said that a number of suspects in the Erawan shrine blast on Aug 17 and the Sathon pier bombing the following day have been arrested abroad and Thai authorities were seeking their extradition.

The Office of the Attorney-General and the Foreign Ministry are coordinating with authorities of the country concerned and arranging for these suspects' extradition to face legal proceedings in Thailand, according to Pol Gen Srivara.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee said Thursday the Thai embassy in Turkey has not alerted the ministry about the couple's arrests.

Police issued warrants for the arrest of at least 10 suspects, both Thai and foreign nationals, following the Erawan bomb blast that killed 20 people and injured 130 others and the subsequent blast at Sathon pier on Aug 18.

Only two were arrested, both in Thailand. Adem Karadag, alias Bilal Mohammad, and Yusufu Mieraili were arraigned at the Bangkok Military Court on Nov 24.  

Police earlier requested the Foreign Ministry consider revoking Ms Wanna's passport after she failed to contact authorities either in Thailand or abroad to defend herself against claims of her involvement in the case.

Investigators say Ms Wanna rented a room at the Maimuna Garden Home apartment in Min Buri where bomb-making materials were discovered.

Emrah Davutoglu, Ms Wanna's Turkish husband, was found to have received money from another suspect, Abdul Tawab, a 40-year-old Pakistani national.

Thursday's stories

We already have an update although this has not yet been confirmed by police:

Post Today and other Thai media have reported, without naming sources, that the arrested suspects  were Thai woman Wanna Suansan, alias Maisaloh, and her Turkish husband Emrah Davutoglu.

Police investigators earlier learned Ms Wanna had rented a room at Maimuna Garden Home apartments  in Min Buri where bomb-making materials were discovered.

Her husband, Emrah Davutoglu, was found to have received money transferred from another key suspect, Abdul Tawab, a 40-year-old Pakistani national.  The money was linked to funding for the bombing, investigators say.

A previous police probe found Ms Wanna, her husband and their infant left Thailand for Turkey, via Phuket, on July 1.

Earlier story

Bangkok bombing suspects arrested abroad

Online reporters

A number of suspects in the Erawan shrine and Sathon pier bombings on Aug 17 and 18 have been arrested abroad and Thai authorities are seeking their extradition, deputy national police chief Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul said on Thursday.

Pol Gen Srivara said the arrested suspects, Thai nationals and foreigners, were being detained in a foreign country. He would not name it.

The Office of the Attorney-General and the Foreign Affairs Ministry were coordinating with authorities of the country concerned and arranging for the suspects' extradition to face legal proceedings in Thailand.

Details of the suspects could not be disclosed as the case concerns national security and international relations, Pol Gen Srivara said.

Following the Erawan bomb blast on Aug 17 that killed 20 people and injured 130 others and the subsequent blast at Sathon pier on Aug 18, police issued warrants for the arrest of at least 10 suspects, both Thai and foreign nationals.

Only two of them were arrested, both in Thailand. Adem Karadag, alias Bilal Mohammad, and Yusufu Mieraili were arraigned in the Bangkok Military Court on Nov 24.

They face 10 charges including premeditated murder, causing death and severe injuries by explosive devices, causing damage to property, possession of explosives without permission, carrying bombs into public places, colluding in carrying out bomb attacks, possession of war materials without permission, and entering the country illegally.

The court set the starting date of their trial for Feb 16, 2016.

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