BANGKOK, Feb 16 -- Thailand is speeding up the process to request Malaysia to extradite an Iranian national who is a suspect in Sukhumvit bomb incidents for prosecution in Thailand, while one female Iranian suspect has already departed Thailand for her country.

National Police Bureau Chief Pol Gen Prewpan Dhamapong said he has assigned Pol Gen Pansiri Prapawat, deputy national police chief overseeing the case, to coordinate with the Office of the Attorney General to formally request the extradition of Masoud Sedaghatzadeh.

The suspect was arrested on Wednesday by Malaysian authorities in Kuala Lumpur.

Gen Prewpan explained that the Thai request could proceed without using the extradition treaty, and that Malaysia has the authority to detain the suspect for 14 days.

The Criminal Court on Thursday issued arrest warrants for four Iranians on varied charges concerning Tuesday’s Bangkok bomb incidents as sought by police.

The Thai police continue to detain two Iranian suspects arrested earlier -- Saeid Moradi, 28, who lost his legs from his own explosive device -- and another suspect, Mohammad Hazaei, 42, who was taken into custody at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday while attempting to board a plane to Malaysia.

Regarding a fourth suspect, also an Iranian national identified as Rohani Leila, Immigration Bureau Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Wiboon Bangthamai cited intelligence reports that Ms Rohani has returned to the Iranian capital of Tehran. Thailand and Iran have no extradition treaty so that Thailand could not request Iran to extradite her to face prosecution here.

Gen Prewpan told reporters after questioning Mohammad Hazaei, one of the four suspects, that he admitted knowing the other three suspects but denied all charges, asserting that he was not involved with the explosions.

The police chief added that the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit was examining the bomb components to compare with the earlier bomb attacks in India and Georgia. (MCOT online news)

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