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    Britons Warned Of Thailand Terror Threat

    British tourists travelling to Thailand have been warned of a high terrorist threat level and urged to exercise caution.

    The warning was issued by the Foreign Office came as Thai police questioned a Lebanese man with suspected of having links to Hezbollah.

    Thailand's deputy prime minister, Chalerm Yubamrung, said Thai authorities received a tip-off before New Year of a planned attack, which was said to target Israelis.

    "At first we were told the Palestinians were behind it but it turned out to be the Hezbollah," AP quoted him as saying.

    Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and Syria, has ministers in Lebanon's untiy government but also maintains a strong military force independent of the national army.

    The group fought a two-month war with Israeli in 2006 and is on the official US blacklist of foreign terrorist organisations. 

    Thai authorities had been "following two Lebanese men and called in one of them ... for questioning," Chalerm said.

    "Technically the two men have not committed any crimes under the Thai law, so we could only use the immigration law to keep this one suspect in custody."

    Earlier, the US embassy had warned of a possible attack by "foreign terrorists" and told its citizens to be careful in areas of Bangkok frequented by tourists.

    However, Chalerm said he was "confident" the danger had passed.

    "No terrorist attacks will be allowed to take place. If they have disagreement, go fight somewhere else," he said.

    Thai defense minister Yuthasak Sasiprapa said preliminary intelligence suggested the alleged plot was planned to take place between January 13 and 15.

    He suggested that the planned attack may have been related to Iran's increasing strained relationship with the US over sanction imposed over the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme.

    In 1994, the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok was targeted for attack but the plot failed after the driver of the explosives-laden truck fled following a minor traffic accident.

     

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