Thailand seeks extradition of suspected bomb mastermind from Iran

Thai police say Norouzi Shayan Ali Akbar was the ‘key player’ in the failed February 14 attack in Bangkok

By AP and ToI Staff 7 March 2012, 9:19 am

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Thai Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) officials examine the damage caused by a blast at the house where suspected bombers were staying in Bangkok, Thailand. (photo credit: AP/Sakchai Lalit)

Thai police said Wednesday they will push for the extradition from Iran of the suspected mastermind behind the botched Bangkok bomb plot last month.

Police Gen. Pansiri Prapawat said Norouzi Shayan Ali Akbar was the “key player” who planned the failed attack in Thailand’s capital along with four other Iranians.

The February 14 incident in Bangkok left several Iranian nationals in Thai custody, including one who accidently maimed himself with a grenade while fleeing a safe house where explosives had detonated prematurely.

One of the Iranians believed to have been involved in the incident, Masoud Sedaghat Zadeh, escaped to Malaysia but was arrested by Malaysian authorities and is currently awaiting extradition back to Bangkok.

Pansiri said Tuesday that police will also ask the Thai government to request the extradition from Iran of Leila Rohani, who is believed to have helped accommodate the suspects prior to the explosions.

Police Lt. Gen. Winai Thongsong said investigators have so far found no links between the suspects and any international terrorist organizations.

Thai police have stated that the group was targeting Israeli diplomats.

The failed attack came one day after the double terror events of February 13, when a bomb blew up an Israeli diplomatic vehicle in New Delhi, India, and a failed attack took place on an Israeli diplomatic target in Tiblisi, Georgia.