The hunt for a group behind the Bangkok bombing focused Wednesday on an emerging link with Turkey as Thai police issued an arrest warrant for a Turkish national for possessing “war materials”.
It is the first time the Thai authorities have revealed the nationality of a foreign suspect in the August 17 blast at a religious shrine that killed 20 people, mostly ethnic Chinese tourists.
A total of eight people are now wanted in connection with the unprecedented attack while a further two unnamed foreigners have been arrested and are in military custody.
Police named the latest suspect as Emrah Davutoglu, the husband of Thai national Wanna Suansan, the only other suspect to be publicly identified.
“He is Turkish,” national police spokesperson Prawut Thavornsiri told reporters adding that the charge he was wanted for was “possession of war materials”.
Police are now convinced a network of suspects either from Turkey or using fake passports from there are responsible for the attack.
“From our arrests, it is clear that this network sent people to that country,” Prawut said, referencing Turkey.
Thai media have aired a theory linking the bomb to ethnic Uighur Muslim militants who have fled their homeland in China seeking sanctuary overseas.