Bangkok's Iranian bomber loses legs, four others injured

At least four bombings in Bangkok Tuesday left five people injured, including an Iranian national who lost both his legs after a bomb he lobbed bounced back from a tree and exploded near him.

Police told the BBC a blast took place in Ekamai area at a house, which three Iranians were believed to have rented for a month. It was not known what caused the explosion. Two men managed to escape the explosion that severely damaged the house, police said. But a third man who suffered minor injuries tried to hail a taxi.

The man -- who was reportedly carrying more explosives in a black bag -- hurled a bomb at the taxi after the driver refused to take him as a passenger. The driver was injured. When police arrived at the scene, the Iranian threw another bomb at them. But the explosive hit a tree, bounced back and exploded. The bomber, who lost both his legs in the blast, was taken to hospital.

The Bangkok Post said the Iranian hurled the bombs around 2 p.m. outside the Kasempithaya School in Sukhumvit 71 road. A photo posted on Twitter showed a wounded man lying on a pavement outside a school, his legs apparently blown off by the explosion. The pavement was strewn with broken glass.

According to Xinhua, another bomb blast took place in Soi Pridi Banomyong 31 in the city, injuring at least three people. Thai security forces found more explosives in the Iranian suspect's rented house, police official Pansiri Prapawat was quoted as saying by the Guardian.

Thai TV channels said an identification card was found in the man's bag, from which he was identified as Sayed Murabi. The blasts came a day after two bomb attacks targeted Israeli embassies in India and Georgia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed the attacks on Iran.

In Jerusalem, Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor Tuesday said it was not clear whether any targets in Bangkok were Israeli or Jewish.