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Thai Police: Bombing Suspect Admits to Charge


Security officials escort bombing suspect Yusufu Mieraili, center, arrested last week near the border with Cambodia as they transfer him from military to police custody at the metropolitan police headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 7, 2015.
Security officials escort bombing suspect Yusufu Mieraili, center, arrested last week near the border with Cambodia as they transfer him from military to police custody at the metropolitan police headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, Sept. 7, 2015.

Thai police said one of the men arrested in connection with last month's bombing of a Bangkok shrine has confessed to a charge of possessing explosives.

Officials said last week that Yusufu Mieraili, a foreigner, was not likely the person who planted the bomb that killed 20 at the Erawan Shrine. But they have said he was "definitely involved in the bombing," noting his DNA was found in an apartment where bomb-making materials were seized.

Thai officials said Mieraili admitted to being guilty of possessing illegal explosives.

Other suspects

Another foreigner, identified as Adem Karadak, is also in custody in connection with the case and two new arrest warrants have been issued.

A Thai Muslim woman is among several people wanted for questioning.

Officials have not commented on the nationality of the two foreigners, but Mieraili had a Chinese passport that identifies his place of birth as Xinjiang, home to China's Uighur minority group.

Thai media reports have openly drawn a possible link between the bombing and Thailand's deportation in July of more than 100 ethnic Uighurs.

Following their forcible return to China, violent protests in Istanbul targeted the Thai and Chinese missions.

The Erawan Shrine is especially popular with Chinese tourists, feeding the speculation it could have been targeted by people who believe the Uighurs are oppressed by Beijing.

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