Two more suspects have been arrested in connection to the July 4 bomb blasts that killed three and injured 11 at two central Phnom Penh hotels, police said.
Ren Sithy was arrested Tuesday in Kompong Cham province while Ren Savuth was arrested Monday in Russei Keo district, said Bith Kimhong, deputy municipal police chief. The two men are cousins and former soldiers, he said.
The arrests bring the number of suspects in police custody to five, all of whom served in the armed forces. Ouk Sathya, an ex-lieutenant colonel in the army, turned himself in to police July 13.
Than Borin was arrested July 10 in Banteay Meanchey province. Chriek Mao was arrested July 9 in Kompong Cham province.
Ren Sithy said the bomb was exploded at the Hong Kong Hotel to make it easier to threaten the Favour Hotel, located just down the street, according to Bith Kimhong. Forty minutes after the blast at the Hong Kong Hotel, a call was made to the Favour Hotel threatening to set off another bomb if $200,000 was not paid.
Ren Sithy told police the bomb at the Favour Hotel wouldn’t have exploded if the box holding the bomb hadn’t been opened. That blast killed two hotel staff and a policeman who had gone to investigate the phone threat.
Ren Sithy and Ren Savuth will be brought to municipal court today, Bith Kimhong said.
