Myanmar arrests 15 dissidents on bomb charges

Source: Reuters

YANGON, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Myanmar said on Friday 15 dissidents had been arrested over a plot to carry out bombings during U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's visit to the country last month.

Police acting on a tip-off arrested dissident Htay Aung on July 2, the day before Ban's visit, and seized detonators, cable and TNT explosives, national police chief, Brigadier General Khin Yi, said.

"There are those who do not want to see prevalence of peace and stability in our country," he told a news conference.

Khin Yi said the suspect had planned to leave bombs at three locations around Yangon's Insein Prison, where opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was being held in a guesthouse during her trial on security charges.

Ban visited Myanmar from July 3-4 but spent less than one day in Yangon after meeting the regime's top generals in the new capital, Naypyidaw. His request to visit Suu Kyi in prison was denied by junta supremo Than Shwe.



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