Thai court convicts Iranians for bungled Bangkok bomb plot

A Thai court has sentenced an Iranian man to life in prison and his compatriot to 15 years for their roles in a botched bomb plot exposed last year when an accidental explosion blew apart the Bangkok villa where they were staying.

Israeli and Thai officials have said the plot was aimed at Israeli diplomats in Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, though Iran denied the allegations and neither defendant was charged with terrorism or attempting to kill Israelis.

Saeid Moradi, 29, was sentenced to life in prison for attempting to murder a police officer, possessing illegal explosives and causing explosions that damaged property and injured several civilians. Mohammad Kharzei, 43, was sentenced to 15 years in jail for possessing explosives.

Both men claimed they had been unaware of the explosives in their villa.

AP