Beijing airport blast sparks wider concerns
22 July 2013 11:14 PM GMT
The bomb attack by a paralysed man in a wheelchair, with grievances against police, at the Beijing International airport has sparked off concerns over the lengths marginalised Chinese people go to highlight their plight in a closed political system.
Ji Zhongxing, a motorcycle taxi driver from Heze city, Shandong province, was paralysed from waist below after receiving beating at the hands of police in 2005. He first attempted to distribute fliers to highlight his grievance near the arrival lounge of the airport last evening before setting off the homemade explosives causing serious injuries to his arm.
A report by state-run Xinhua news agency said Ji, 34, tried to distribute leaflets ‘to draw attention to his complaints’ near the B exit before igniting the bomb.
The Beijing News newspaper on Sunday quoted several witnesses as saying Ji repeatedly yelled ‘I have a bomb, stay away from me’ before the bomb was detonated.
As the explosion rocked the place with thick smoke, China’s famed microblog networks, came into play instantly flashing the pictures taken by onlookers.
Ji Zhongxing, a motorcycle taxi driver from Heze city, Shandong province, was paralysed from waist below after receiving beating at the hands of police in 2005. He first attempted to distribute fliers to highlight his grievance near the arrival lounge of the airport last evening before setting off the homemade explosives causing serious injuries to his arm.
A report by state-run Xinhua news agency said Ji, 34, tried to distribute leaflets ‘to draw attention to his complaints’ near the B exit before igniting the bomb.
The Beijing News newspaper on Sunday quoted several witnesses as saying Ji repeatedly yelled ‘I have a bomb, stay away from me’ before the bomb was detonated.
As the explosion rocked the place with thick smoke, China’s famed microblog networks, came into play instantly flashing the pictures taken by onlookers.
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