Was Chabad Bangkok a Target?

By Bangkok Post and COLlive

A detained Lebanese Hezbollah terrorist suspect was part of a planned attack on the Chabad Jewish community center near Khao San road in Bangkok, according to a news website which specialises in intelligence reporting.

Debkafile said on Tuesday that its sources confirmed that Hussein Atris, who was arrested by Thai police on Friday night, was part of a planned attack along the lines of al Qaeda’s attack on the Mumbai Chabad House in 2008, involving the taking of hostages and blowing up the building.

Eight Jews were killed in the Mumbai attack, including the Shluchim Rabbi Gabi and Rivky Holtzberg, HY”D.

According to the sources quoted on the English language page, the planned attack would have been even deadlier because Chabad Bangkok is larger. “The Habad Bangkok is much larger: its hostel has rooms for dozens of lodgers,” Debkafile said.

The sources also said that two or three ”Hizballah” (sic) groups were to launch coordinated attacks simultaneously this month, and one of them was to strike at restaurants that are popular with Americans and Israelis on Khao San road.

But Algemeiner.com has confirmed that Chabad was not the target.

“Yes, we’re aware of the report but we got information that says this is not true,” said a Chabad rep who did not wish to be named for security reasons.

“The authorities we spoke with say, from what they know, the target was not Chabad.”

The Jerusalem Post reported that Chabad in Thailand was taking safety precautions after the reports emerged that the terror cell was planning to attack Israeli and Jewish targets in the country.

Rabbi Yosef Chaim Kantor, Chief Rabbi and Head Shliach who runs the Jewish Association of Thailand, said he was in close contact with the authorities and they had taken measures to ensure the safety of his family and guests.

“The Thai authorities are taking this very seriously and so are we,” said Kantor. “We are in close contact with them.”