Crew of North Korean plane detained in Thai jail

BANGKOK — A Thai court ordered an extended 12-day detention Monday for the crew of a cargo plane loaded with North Korean weapons, as Thailand said it was trying to determine if the aircraft's destination was in Asia or the Middle East.

The Bangkok Criminal Court accepted a police request to hold the five-man crew in prison pending further investigations in a case that could shed new light on the illicit weapons trade from North Korea, which is widely accused of selling weapons to nations in Africa and the Middle East, in violation of U.N. sanctions.

The United States, which is particularly concerned about North Korea selling weapons and nuclear technology in the Middle East, reportedly tipped off Thai authorities to the aircraft's illicit cargo, according to Thai media reports that the government and U.S. Embassy declined to comment on.

Thai officials impounded the Ilyushin IL-76 transport plane Saturday and discovered 35 tons of explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and components for surface-to-air missiles.

Members of the crew — four from Kazakhstan and one from Belarus — were charged Sunday with illegal arms possession, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. The court on Monday approved an initial request for a 12-day extension, which can be extended up to 84 days, said police spokesman Pongsapat Pongjaren.

Thailand convened an emergency session of its National Security Council, after which officials ruled out any threat to Thailand's security and said the investigation would be carried out carefully, slowly and in close cooperation with the United Nations.

The council's Secretary-General Thawil Pilansri said military experts were analyzing the weapons at a base in the nearby province of Nakhon Sawan, where they were moved by trucks Saturday night under high security.

"After an initial inspection we did not find any nuclear-type weapons," said Air Vice Marshal Metha Sungkawijit, in response to a reporter's question.

Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the aircraft was headed for the Sri Lankan capital Colombo but authorities were investigating if the flight plan was misleading and the final destination was in the Middle East, noting the aircraft had recently stopped in the United Arab Emirates.

"We believe after Colombo there may have been another destination," he said.