Thaksin sacked Pallop, retired army general, after an Isoc army officer, Lt. Thawatchai Klinchana, was arrested and charged with possessing explosive materials, including TNT, without a permit.

Thawatchai's car, which had a significant amount of explosives, was found parked not far Thaksin's residence on the route through which the premier's motorcade normally passes.

"You know me. If I was behind it, I would not have missed," said the shaken Pallop. "I wouldn't have sent Thawatchai to drive around, as reported, the Prime Minister's residence. It would have just set it off without giving away any prior warnings."

Pallop also pointed out that the explosive devices were not assembled and therefore was not ready to be detonated. "The explosive was being transported, not assembled to be detonated," he added.

The embattled general said Thawatchai used to be a sergeant when he was serving as his official driver when he was the secretary to the Defense Council. Thawatchai was only a sergeant at the time. Pallop did not explain about his promotion to the rank of a lieutenant.

He added that about three months ago, he reassigned Thawatchai to the restive South to work with for Isoc as an intelligence officer.

The Nation