Hundreds of police commandos and soldiers today escorted two bomb suspects for re-enactment of their acts in the bombing of the Erawan Shrine which killed 20 people, and injured over 120 others on August 17.
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Thai police has said an investigation revealed that the first arrested suspect, Adem Karadag, was indeed the bomber in last month’s deadly attack in Bangkok, contradicting earlier statements.
“He did admit that the man in the photo was him, and each of his admissions they became all connected”.
But he said police had evidence to prove it. “I believe police have evidence, but I can’t disclose anything further about this”.
Thai police arrested Karadag in a flat on the outskirts of Bangkok late last month saying he was in possession of bomb-making equipment and dozens of fake Turkish passports.
Meanwhile, according to a police source, investigators went to question the suspect again at the 11th Army Circle where he is being detained, but Mr Karadag was ill and could not be interviewed. Police are now searching for the taxi driver, the sources said.
Early on, authorities had focused their investigation on a man in a yellow shirt and wearing a backpack, captured in security camera footage at the shrine on the day of the bombing. The images showed the suspect walking into a restroom and changing his clothes before he walked out. A warrant for at least one other suspect, a woman, is still outstanding.
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.
“Muhammed knows nothing whatsoever about the bombing”, he underlined.
Royal Thai Police chief Somyot Pumpanmuang said this evening he’s convinced Bilaturk is the same man seen in the park’s CCTV footage.
After the re-enactments, both suspects were taken back to the 11th Army Circle where they are being held.
Police officials said that on Wednesday night, Bilaturk confessed to being the bomber, but said they want more evidence.
Speaking on television Thursday, police spokesman Dr Pol Lt Gen Prawut Thavornsiri refused to confirm Mr Karadag was the bomber, though he said the two men looked alike.
“If all those 10 explosive devices had been planted, they would have caused massive damage to Thailand“.
His lawyer claims he is Turkish, but that his real name is Bilal Mohammed and that he was only seeking a job in the region.
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Somyot said an ally country and a company with the necessary equipment had offered to help with the digital superimposition, but he declined to identify them.
