‘Iranian’ maimed by own bomb in Bangkok

A man thought to be Iranian has had his legs blown off in Bangkok after a bomb he was carrying exploded.

Israel says it was an attempted terrorist attack by Iran.

Earlier a blast rocked a house the man was reportedly renting with other Iranians in the Thai capital.

Two men escaped as police moved in. A third threw an explosive device at a taxi after it failed to stop for him. Then, aiming a bomb at police, he caused himself serious injuries.

On Monday, bomb attacks targeted Israeli embassy staff in India and Georgia. Israel accused Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah of involvement, which Tehran denied.

The Bangkok explosions were not near the capital’s main area for embassies.

A Thai doctor was quoted on television as saying that three Thai people were hurt in the blasts, none of them seriously.

Police arrested a Lebanese man in Bangkok in January and discovered a huge amount of explosive material in an area southwest of the city. The United States, Israel and other countries issued warnings of possible terrorist attacks in areas frequented by foreigners.

The Lebanese man has been charged with possession of explosive material and prosecutors said further charges could follow next week. It is not clear if Tuesday’s incident is related.

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