Thai bomb factory is found after terror alert

A terrorist suspect today led Thai police to a bomb factory containing 8,800lb of fertilizer and 10 gallons of liquid ammonium.

Officers raided a warehouse after the US issued an "emergency message" warning of an imminent threat to Americans in Bangkok on Friday.

The day before, border police arrested Swedish national Atris Hussein as he tried to leave the country. After interrogation he led officers to the warehouse.

Hussein has links to Hezbollah militants. Police sources said Hussein, who is of Lebanese origin, was part of a terror cell that rented the warehouse a year ago.

Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist movement which holds seats in Lebanon's parliament and is a powerful military force hostile to Israel. It is regarded as a terrorist organisation by the US.

Thailand has rarely been a target for foreign terrorists, although a domestic Muslim insurgency in the country's south has involved bombings of civilian targets.

Tourism is a huge money-earner and the country is keen not to deter travellers.

Prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra appealed for calm following the seizure. She said: "I'd like to tell people not to panic. The situation is under control. There is no problem.

"We can assure the safety of the people and foreign tourists." Although Washington remained adamant it was right to issue the warning and re-iterated their belief that Bangkok was a potential target, Thai officials claimed tourists and locals were never in danger.

A police spokesman said the chemicals were going to be shipped out of Thailand for use in an unspecified third country.

National police chief general Prewpan Dhama-pong said it was possible the warehouse was a "transit point" for an attack elsewhere.

US embassy spokesman Walter Braunohler stood by the alert: "Whenever we have specific, credible, not-counterable threats, it is our responsibility to inform Americans in Thailand. That's what we did Friday. We issued an emergency message, and that remains in effect."