2012 Bangkok bombings

Explosions in Bangkok, Thailand February 2025 2012 Bangkok bombings Iran–Israel proxy conflict Watthana, Bangkok, Thailand Pridixx.JPG Sukhumvit 71 (Pridi Banomyong) Road, nearby the site of explosion Israeli Embassy, Bangkok 14 February 2012 14:00 UTC+7 Conspiracy 5 Saeed Moradi (incarcerated) Mohammad Hazaei (incarcerated) Masoud Sedaghat Zadeh (in custody) Leila Rohani (now at large) Javad Nikkahfard (now at large) Ali Akbar Norouzi Shaya (now at large) The 2012 Bangkok bombings were a series of explosions that occurred in Bangkok, Thailand on 14 February 2012, injuring five people. Israeli authorities said that the bombings were a botched attempt by Iranian nationals to assassinate Israeli diplomats.Thai Police Widen Search for Iranianshttps://web.archive.org/web/20190306043914/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204059804577227012899036768?mod=googlenews_wsj 2019-03-06 , Wall Street Journal 16 February 20122013-08-22 Thailand court jails Iranians over bomb plot https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-23781857 2025-07-03 BBC News en-GBKurlantzick Joshua Bombings in Bangkok Council on Foreign Relations https://www.cfr.org/blog/bombings-bangkok 2025-07-03 www.cfr.org en Several Iranians were arrested and charged for the attacks, one of whom was badly injured. Background The blasts occurred a day after attacks on Israeli diplomats in Tbilisi, Georgia and New Delhi, India. Israel said that the Iranian government was behind the bombings. However, Iran has stated that Israel carried out the attacks in order to damage Tehran's good relations with India, Georgia, and Thailand. Thailand had recently recognized the statehood of Palestine.Thai police to seek arrest of 5th suspect after Bangkok bombings, CNN 17 February 2012Barak blames Iran for bomb blasts in Bangkok https://web.archive.org/web/20120217154353/http://www.jpost.com/VideoArticles/Video/Article.aspx?id=257771 2012-02-17 , Jerusalem Post 14 February 2012 Explosions The first blast happened at about 14:00 at a safe house on Sukhumvit 71, which the suspects had rented. The explosion blew off part of the roof of the structure. The men then fled the house. Moradi, who was injured and bloodied, attempted to flag down a taxi. When the driver, seeing his state, refused to take him, he threw a grenade at the taxi. The grenade damaged the vehicle and injured the driver. Police officers who responded to the blasts then tried to stop Moradi, who tried to escape by throwing another grenade at them. The grenade bounced off a tree and back at him, exploding and severing both his legs.Israel blames Iran for Bangkok blasts https://web.archive.org/web/20170927111207/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/9081875/Israel-blames-Iran-for-Bangkok-blasts.html 2017-09-27 , Telegraph 17 February 2012 Investigation The investigation involved Thai police officials and forensic experts who collected samples and fragments from the blast sites; a forensic report on the type of explosives used, submitted to police within days; and CCTV footage of the suspects.Bangkok on its feet, Delhi gropes in the dark https://web.archive.org/web/20180827143905/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/bangkok-on-its-feet-delhi-gropes-in-the-dark/articleshow/11924236.cms 2018-08-27 , Times of India 17 February 2012 Three of the Iranians charged with the bombings, Moradi, Khazaei and Zadeh, flew into Phuket in southern Thailand on 8 February. They then traveled to Pattaya, where they were a tabloid magazine alleges they spent five nights in the company of three female prostitutes, before heading to Bangkok.Iranian suspects in Bangkok bomb plot dined with prostitutes, authorities say https://web.archive.org/web/20170909004438/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/iranian-suspects-bangkok-bomb-plot-dined-prostitutes-authorities-article-1.1024324 2017-09-09 , AP 17 February 2012https://archive.today/20120220031948/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/9088238/Fourth-Iranian-bomber-on-loose-in-Thailand-as-prostitute-helps-police.html Fourth Iranian bomber on loose in Thailand as prostitute helps police, Telegraph 17-02-2012Wongruang, Piyaporn, Suspects partied in Pattaya https://web.archive.org/web/20231016153037/https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/280201/suspects-partied-in-pattaya 2023-10-16 , Bangkok Post, 17 February 2012 Police Forensic Unit Commander Peerapong Damapong described the bombs used as "one of those transistor radios that you can carry around, but the insides have been taken out and replaced with C-4, with the head of the bomb consisting of a bolt, a pin and a detonator attached to it... From what we've seen, it's possible for the components to be bought in Thailand. The explosive isn't that complicated, it's just something that we haven't really seen in this country." A Thai official said on 17 February that the investigation had not discovered a link between the suspects and any group and that the bombings were probably not an attempt to kill Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who was scheduled to visit the country. Suspects Iranian nationals: Saeed Moradi (28, male): lost both his legs when a grenade he threw at pursuing police officers bounced off a tree and back at him; brought to Chulalongkorn Hospital in serious condition.Probes into Iranians show no links to terrorist organisations https://web.archive.org/web/20120219230142/http://nationmultimedia.com/national/Probes-into-Iranians-show-no-links-to-terrorist-or-30176135.html 2012-02-19 , The Nation 17 February 2012 Mohammad Hazaei (42, male): arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport near Bangkok after the bombings. Masoud Sedaghat Zadeh (31, male): fled to Malaysia on the day of the bombings; arrested by the Royal Malaysian Police in Kuala Lumpur International Airport on 15 February, while attempting to travel to Iran.Malaysia probes Iran suspect's past visits: Source https://web.archive.org/web/20120217152959/http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/SEAsia/Story/STIStory_767626.html 2012-02-17 , AFP 17 February 2012 Leila Rohani (female): thought to have fled to Tehran; rented the house where the three previous suspects stayed. Javad Nikkahfard (52, male): caught on security cameras going in and out of the rented house; thought to be the bomb specialist in the group; arrest warrant issued.Thai police seek fifth suspect in Iranian bombers case https://web.archive.org/web/20210518045026/https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-thailand-bombers-idUSLNE81G01C20120217 2021-05-18 , Reuters 17 February 2012Thailand blasts: police search for two more suspects https://web.archive.org/web/20160309171856/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/feb/17/thailand-blasts-police-search-suspects 2016-03-09 , Guardian 17 February 2012 Ali Akbar Norouzi Shaya (57, male): arrest warrant issued for possessing and making explosives; thought to have escaped to Iran.Warrant issued for 5th Iranian in Thai bomb plot https://web.archive.org/web/20120221114221/http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=258580 2012-02-21 , Jerusalem Post 20 February 2012 On 22 August 2013, Saeid Moradi was sentenced to life imprisonment while Mohammad Hazaei was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment and deportation.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/22/thai-court-convicts-iranians-bomb-plot Iranians convicted over Bangkok bomb plot TheGuardian.com 22 August 2013 13 December 2016 3 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233502/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/22/thai-court-convicts-iranians-bomb-plot live In November 2020, during a "prisoner swap", Saeed Moradi, Mohammad Hazaei and Masoud Sedaghat Zadeh were exchanged for Kylie Moore-Gilbert.https://apnews.com/article/tehran-thailand-australia-iran-041704ca6749f853281a967fd3493020 Thailand approved transfer of 3 Iranians as Australian freed Associated Press 20 April 2021 3 December 2020 3 December 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201203213742/https://apnews.com/article/tehran-thailand-australia-iran-041704ca6749f853281a967fd3493020 live Moore-Gilbert was a university lecturer held in Iran for 2 years.https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-55077744 Kylie Moore-Gilbert: Lecturer released by Iran 'in prisoner swap' BBC News 25 November 2020 3 December 2020 2 December 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201202120304/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-55077744 live Reactions Chief of Royal Thai Police Priewpan Damapong instructed the Transportation Ministry to place the country's six international airports on high alert. The directive was said to follow reports provided by Israeli intelligence that further attacks on Thai soil were possible.Iran, Hezbollah seek to attack more Israeli targets abroad, official says https://web.archive.org/web/20120217172714/http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/iran-hezbollah-seek-to-attack-more-israeli-targets-abroad-official-says-1.413477 2012-02-17 , Haaretz 17 February 2012 Thai police carried out building-to-building searches around a Jewish synagogue on Sukhumvit Road. The synagogue was already under 24-hour police protection following the arrest in January of a Swedish-Lebanese alleged Hezbollah agent. The Counter-Terrorism Bureau of the Israeli National Security Council issued a worldwide travel warning, based on information that Iran and Hezbollah were planning additional attacks against Israelis and Jews.Warning: Iran, Hezbollah planning more attacks https://web.archive.org/web/20120219150150/http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4191116,00.html 2012-02-19 , Ynet News 17 February 2012 See also List of Islamist terrorist attacks List of attacks against Israeli embassies and diplomats References 33em Category:2012 in international relations Category:February 2012 in Thailand Category:2012 building bombings Category:Building bombings in Thailand Category:2012 in Bangkok Category:Terrorist incidents in Thailand in 2012 Category:Islamic terrorism in Thailand Category:Attacks on diplomatic missions in Thailand Category:Iran–Thailand relations Category:Israel–Thailand relations Category:Iran–Israel proxy conflict Category:Terrorist incidents in Bangkok Category:February 2012 crimes in Asia Category:Explosions in Bangkok Category:State-sponsored terrorism Category:Terrorism in Iran Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2012 Category:Failed terrorist attempts in Asia Category:Grenade attacks in Asia Category:Attacks on diplomatic missions of Israel