Thailand's Defense Minister Boonrawd Somtas on Thursday affirmed earlier speculations that politicians who have lost power are behind Sunday's Bangkok bombings, with an aim to discredit the current government and its military backer, the Council for National Security (CNS), according to Thai News Agency.

Speaking to journalists after visiting victims at a hospital in Bangkok, Boonrawd reiterated statements made earlier by Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and CNS chairman Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, saying that security officials had agreed that those who had the ability to plant bombs in the city and create chaos were police and military officials.

Boonrawd said he had high confidence that the bombers would be arrested but it could be difficult to find the masterminds.

Commenting on earlier reports that former prime minister Chawalit Yongchaiyudh was involved in the bomb attacks, Boonrawd said so far neither Surayud or Sonthi had made that charge, adding that he could not verify reports that Chawalit received 1.5 billion baht (over 42 million U.S. dollars) from deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to create unrest in the country.

Military leaders led by army chief Sonthi ousted Thaksin in the Sept. 19 coup, who later named themselves the CNS and installed the Surayud-led interim government.

Chawalit, who reportedly had supported the coup but later turned against the CNS in a power struggle, on Wednesday lashed out at the CNS for trying to link him to the New Year's Eve bombings. He also said some foreign media have reported the CNS and the government were suspected on the New Year's Eve bombings that killed three and injured nearly 40 people.

Both Boonrawd and Interior Minister Aree Wongaraya on Thursday denied the accusations against the interim government and the CNS.

Source: Xinhua