Thai Police Seize Explosives, Charge Lebanese Man

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A foreign suspect with alleged links to Hezbollah militants led Thai police Monday to a warehouse filled with materials commonly used to make bombs, as Thailand and the U.S. disagreed over whether Bangkok was the target of a terror plot.

Police seized more than 8,800 pounds (4,000 kilograms) of urea fertilizer and several gallons of liquid ammonium nitrate at the warehouse in Samut Sakhon, on the western outskirts of Bangkok, according to police and media reports.

The U.S. Embassy had issued an "emergency message" Friday warning of a possible terror threat against Americans in Bangkok, and Israel warned its citizens as well. A dozen other embassies have since urged their citizens to exercise caution.

Thai authorities were caught off-guard by the U.S. announcement, hastily revealing they had detained a Swedish national of Lebanese origin with alleged links to pro-Iranian Hezbollah militants and that intelligence indicated a plot could be carried out between Jan. 13 and 15. The defense minister said the news was not released earlier to avoid panic that could hurt Thailand's tourism industry, one of the country's biggest revenue earners.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/thai-police-raid-warehouse-terror-probe-15368766

As Americans, focused on Al Qaeda, we sometimes forget that Hezbollah killed more Americans in terrorists attacks prior to 911 and they have one of the most extensive terrorist networks, stretching from the tri border region of South Africa to Thailand.

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1. Bangkok threat: Terrorist's Swedish connection

The suspect detained in Bangkok on suspicion of planning to blow up Israeli targets in Thailand has been identified as 47-year-old Hussein Atris, an Lebanese man holding a Swedish passport.

An examination of the passport, which was obtained by Ynet, revealed that Atris was born in southern Lebanon and married a Swedish woman in 1996. The marriage made him eligible for a Swedish passport, which he allegedly exploited for the benefit of Hezbollah's terrorism apparatus.

An examination of the passport, which was obtained by Ynet, revealed that Atris was born in southern Lebanon and married a Swedish woman in 1996. The marriage made him eligible for a Swedish passport, which he allegedly exploited for the benefit of Hezbollah's terrorism apparatus.

According to reports by Swedish media, Atris previously owned a hair saloon in Gothenburg, before returning to Lebanon more than 10 years ago. Moreover, one of his relatives, Germany resident Muhammad Atris, was involved in the past in the Iranian assassination of four Kurdish opposition figures in 1992.


Meanwhile, Thai police were looking for Atris' accomplice, who is believed to be in his 30s or 40s. Police in Bangkok published the suspect's composite portrait, which bears great resemblance to Hezbollah operative Naim Haris. The latter's photo was unusually published last year, by the Shin Bet, which at the time identified him as an operative in charge of recruiting Hezbollah agents worldwide.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4175513,00.html

Like I said earlier, Hezbullah has an extensive terrorist network, going from pole to pole.

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2. Hezbollah 'calls off attacks'

A Middle Eastern terrorist group had cancelled its plan to attack targets in Thailand after one of its members was arrested in Bangkok and the authorities learned about the plot, the national police chief quoted the suspect as saying yesterday.

Pol General Priewpan Damapong added, however, that the police would still be on guard, with patrolmen being deployed in areas that were possible targets, including popular tourist areas like Khao San Road and Soi Sukhumvit 22, as well as certain foreign embassies.

Priewpan said Lebanese man Atris Hussein, 48, who was arrested for suspected links with the Hezbollah militant group, yesterday admitted the plot to police interrogators.

"The suspect told us that the movement cancelled the plan after the authorities learned about it," he said, declining to provide any more details of the alleged confession


http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Hezbollah-calls-off-attacks-30173763.html

When your guy is in jail, he is not going to be doing any terrorist attacks. This is like if Al Qaeda sent out a "press release" stating that Osama has "retired" from his film making activities.