Israeli ambassador to Bangkok: We're on the front line

Itzhak Shoham discusses embassy employees' uneasiness after terror attack, but claims none have plans to return home as probe into blast continues

Aviel Magnezi|Published: 02.15.12 , 16:39

Israeli embassy workers in Bangkok woke up this morning with the sounds of Tuesday's explosion still echoeing in their ears. They were alert, scanning their surroundings for suspicious faces and driving unmarked cars. Despite the tense atmosphere they have no intention of returning back to Israel.

"We feel good this morning. Much better after learning that at least this attempt failed," Israel's Ambassador to Thailand Itzhak Shoham told Ynet. "I'm convinced that the Israeli embassy and its employees were the target in this case."

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Shoham said he believed the attacks in Bangkok, Tbilisi and New Delhi were linked. "We discovered some similarities – explosives that were similar to those used in India and Georgia, so we assume the same network was behind all the attacks. Of course we believe Iran is behind this," he said.

On Tuesday, an Iranian man carrying explosives blew off his own legs and wounded four other people in two blasts in Bangkok.

Security forces found more explosives in the assailant's rented house in the capital, but it was not known what targets they might have been meant for, Thai Police General Pansiri Prapawat said.

Shoham said the workers at Israel's Bangkok embassy are all trying to keep their spirits up. "We all understand we're dealing with diplomacy, but we're actually on the front lines. We take such events into consideration.

איבד את שתי רגליו בפיצוץ השני. המחבל האיראני (צילום: טויטר CC motorcyrubjang)

Suspected terrorist after explosion (Photo: Twitter - CC motorcyrubjang)

"Thai security forces are doing a meticulous work and we hope they'll lead to great results, and maybe we'll be able to destroy the (terror) cells. We were all asked to raise our alertness levels, but nobody is planning on taking their family back home."

Meanwhile, Thai police are still investigating the cause of the explosion. "There's a rumor one of the Iranians was caught in Malaysia, but it's only a rumor," Shoham said.

"We know there was a woman who rented the apartment where the Iranians stayed, and she disappeared. But she most likely left before yesterday's events and she could be very far by now. We hope there aren't anymore, but we'll let the police do their job," Shoham concluded.