You have commented 338 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Southeast Asia
Suspected Iranian Agent Bungles Bombing in Bangkok
2012-02-14
Tuesday afternoon in Bangkok, a series of bombs went off along a road about two miles from my home here.

Exact details are still emerging, but it appears that a lone bomber threw an explosive device at taxi outside a school on Sukhumvit Soi 71 Road - along called Soi Pridi Binomyong - injuring the driver and passengers, but nothing life threatening.

When police arrived, the bomber evidently attempted to throw an explosive at them - but dropped his bomb, and blew his own legs off
Don't you just love a happy ending!.
There are also reports of a third bomb going off (or being found) at the bomber's home nearby.

There are reports that Iranian currency was found at the scene - and there are also reports that the bomber is Lebanese. He apparently survived, despite his injuries, and was taken to a leading university hospital in Bangkok.

Fairly gruesome photos of the legless bomber at the link.
Posted by:Lone Ranger

#18  What an idiot.

That's what one get when one teaches kids to bang their heads into the ground instead of throwing baseballs.
Posted by: Shimble Guelph5793   2012-02-14 21:17  

#17  In the Thai court system, he won't have a leg to... Incoming!
Posted by: Capsu78   2012-02-14 19:08  

#16  Black Charlie, if you want uncensored gore from the scene look here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnuv81ngoAI

(Not safe for work, or for anyone not interested in gruesome injury.)

One leg is gone. The other is 98% detached. Serves him right, I think. Is that a chunk of one leg a few feet to the right? This is what he intended to do to others. Karma!
Posted by: Scooter McGruder   2012-02-14 18:49  

#15  What an idiot.
Better luck next time around.
Posted by: Kojack   2012-02-14 13:07  

#14  I wonder if the Hizb'allah man they picked up in Thailand in January, the one with a storehouse full of bomb-making materials, was meant to be connected to this lot? I seem to recall it being said at the time that his work wasn't to be used in Thailand, but to be shipped to a third country...
Posted by: trailing wife   2012-02-14 12:43  

#13  What good are photos of bloody gore when the gore is blurred out. Pinheads! Not Rantburg, the Thai site.
Posted by: Black Charlie Phinelet7572   2012-02-14 12:16  

#12  PM Yingluck: Don't panic, there is no terrorist in Thailand, please visit, cup cup!
Posted by: Fat Bob Unotch3711   2012-02-14 12:14  

#11  Happy Valentines Day, Saerb!
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305   2012-02-14 11:33  

#10  "as the the grenade following its graceful arc toward the intended target, it struck a tree branch and rebounded to the feet of the Iranian - and then detonated - removing said Iranians lower legs."

This is what happens when your national sport is soccer. No one has a decent throwing arm.
Posted by: Penguin   2012-02-14 11:18  

#9  I think it is a truly, profoundly bad idea to piss off a Thai cop. They lost any last vestige of humor after having to fight a huge number of yaa baa "mad drug" addicts on the rampage.

Yaa baa is a combination of methamphetamine and caffeine that is actually worse than meth alone for making people violently starkers.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2012-02-14 11:04  

#8  It appears there was an explosion at a house occupied by three would-be bombers. One bombers, Saeid Moradi, an Iranian ran from the house just as the police arrived. While he was trying to throw a hand grenade at them, he dropped the grenade and blew his legs off.
Posted by: tipper   2012-02-14 10:57  

#7  Update:

One or more Iranians rented a house about a month ago. Evidently, their sole purpose was to set up a bomb-making center.

Legless idiot bomber (by name of Saerb Morabi) arrived into Thailand on February 8th, on a flight from Seoul.

Shortly after noon today, there was a "factory glitch" - and the house went "boom goes the dynamite" - photo at: http://twitpic.com/8jq16y

Two Iranians then departed in a hurry - photo of one chap captured by a local security camera: https://twitter.com/#!/fm91trafficpro/status/169423257907372033/photo/1

But - one Iranian (the recent arrival) departed a couple of minutes later - bleeding, and carrying a large black bag.

This chap tried to flag down a taxi - but the driver evidently decided that a bleeding Middle Eastern-looking foreigner carrying a black bag was not an ideal passenger, and declined the fare.

Being a highly rational individual, the Iranian reacted by tossing an explosive into or under the taxi - causing this: https://twitter.com/#!/fm91trafficpro/status/169423257907372033/photo/1

Said Iranian then proceeded down the road, presumably looking for another taxi. At this point, police were showing up - and a local citizen pointed out the miscreant to the Police. A Policeman then proceeded to approach the subject.

The bleeding Iranian then decided to throw an explosive (grenade?) at the policeman. Unfortunately, as the the grenade following its graceful arc toward the intended target, it struck a tree branch and rebounded to the feet of the Iranian - and then detonated - removing said Iranians lower legs. Photo at the original link.

I understand that there is also a video of the hapless Iranian, twitching on the ground as local Thai residents loudly curse him from the sidelines.

One of the other two Iranians was picked up at the local international airport around sundown today, as he was attempting to board a Malaysia-bound flight. Carrying identification as Mohammad Hazaei.

Police inspecting what was left of the abandoned house found a number of other explosive devices that had been assembled.

Quds force operatives? Four Lions wannabes? Time will tell.







Posted by: Lone Ranger   2012-02-14 10:36  

#6  'Moose, Sukhumvit Soi 71 is on a main commercial artery. But it is a bit of a trek from downtown Bangkok. Think suburbs. I imagine that if anyone intelligent were targeting the heart of international Bangkok the location would be Ratanakosin Island (not really an island) where most government offices, Jewish religious centers, and some popular Israeli restaurants are.

Also, Bangkok is kind of an international crossroads. The Thai people are very open and friendly to people of all backgrounds. A lot of Israeli tourists go there because it's a great vacation spot with beautiful beachs and jungle treks and it's fairly cheap, and neighboring Islamic countrys like Malaysia and Indonesia refuse to allow them visas, not wanting a associate with yucky Jews and such. But a lot of Pakistanis and Iranians and other Muslims go there too, for some of the same reasons but also because the Muslims are cheap perverts, and there is the added attraction of JIHAD in the southern provinces.
Posted by: Scooter McGruder   2012-02-14 10:03  

#5  > !!!RRUNNN!!!!

I think you mean "Leg it"!
Posted by: Bright Pebbles   2012-02-14 09:20  

#4  Some background? Is there any Israeli asset or Jews in the area, or what in the world is Iran upset with Thailand for?

Best case scenario is Iran declaring war against the world.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2012-02-14 08:13  

#3  !!!RRUNNN!!!!
Posted by: 2Sealys   2012-02-14 08:13  

#2  Sukhumvit Soi 71

Know it well. There is a private international school just off Sukhumvit on soi 71.
Posted by: phil_b   2012-02-14 07:58  

#1  The link is a tad wonky, and in Thai. But if you like pictures of just the lower half of the body, with the feet quietly standing further down the pavement, this is the link for you.

Here is another local source -- not so many pictures, but the text, in English, expands on the details in Lone Ranger's translation. Thank you, Lone Ranger!
Posted by: trailing wife   2012-02-14 07:14  

00:00