[Spisivavona]

Thailand and India face an extradition battle over an Iranian suspect wanted in connection with bomb plots in Bangkok and New Delhi.


An Indian court Saturday issued an arrest warrant for Masoud Sedaghatzadeh over an attack on an Israeli diplomat in New Delhi on Feb 13.

Thai authorities are seeking to extradite Mr Sedaghatzadeh from Malaysia over the botched bomb plot in Sukhumvit Soi 71 on Feb 14.

Delhi chief metropolitan magistrate Vinod Yadav issued the warrant for Mr Sedaghatzadeh after police alleged he was also involved in the Delhi blast conspiracy, the Press Trust of India said.

"You [police] are hereby directed to arrest him," Mr Yadav said.

On Friday, Delhi police commissioner Brijesh Kumar Gupta said investigations had established a clear link between the Feb 13 attack in India and a similar plot a day later in Bangkok.

He said arrest warrants would be issued soon for three suspects identified as Houshang Ashfar Irani, Sayed Ali Sadr Mehdian and Abolghasemi Mohammad Reza. They are all believed to be in Iran, police said.

Mr Gupta said Mr Irani had been in touch with Mr Sedaghatzadeh, "thus establishing his links with the terror module in Bangkok".

Thai investigators say the same magnets were used to make the bombs in India and Thailand.

Thai authorities have detained two Iranians out of five suspects wanted on warrants. They are suspected of planning a separate attack on Israeli diplomats.

Thai prosecutors and police investigators will visit Kuala Lumpur on March 25 to ask Malaysian prosecutors to extradite Mr Sedaghatzadeh.