Bangkok court to decide fate of two Iranians

BANGKOK — A Bangkok court is scheduled to decide the fate of two Iranian men accused in a botched bomb plot last year that officials believe was aimed at Israeli diplomats in the Thai capital.

The court is due to issue a verdict Thursday.

The Iranians were detained shortly after a cache of homemade explosives accidentally blew apart the villa where the men were staying in February 2012.

Israel says the men were readying for an Iranian-backed attack on Israeli interests. Iran has denied the allegations and both men have proclaimed their innocence, saying they had been unaware of the explosives in their home.

The defendants are Saeid Moradi and Mohammad Kharzei. Moradi lost his legs in another blast as he tried to flee.

The Israeli government’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau issued a strident travel warning on Monday, listing dozens of countries where it said it had “concrete” indications of a terrorist threat.

It cited concerns about terrorist acts timed to coincide with the forthcoming Rosh Hashana (New Year), Yom Kippur and Succot festivals, and also said that the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US was likely to be “a favored period” for al-Qaeda and other global jihadist groups to attempt to carry out acts of terrorism.

Iran and Hezbollah, it warned, were also continuing their “global terror campaign” against Israeli and Jewish targets.

It said its information indicated that Israeli businessmen and ex-government officials were prime potential targets for assassination and/or kidnapping.