Beijing Airport Explosion: Bomb Detonated by Man in Wheelchair

From NetEase:

Disabled Petitioner Sets Off Homemade Bomb in Capital Airport, Possibly in Appeal for Justice

[His] left hand requires amputation; Because of experiencing “unfair treatment” while working in Guangdong, [he] has been petitioning for redress for years; Police report that other than this man, no one else was injured.

Beijing News – Yesterday at 18:24, outside Beijing Capital Airport T3 Terminal Exit B, a disabled Chinese man detonated a homemade explosive device, causing injury to himself, with no other casualties at the scene, nor were the airport’s flight arrivals and departures affected.

As it is understood, following preliminary verification by police authorities, the man had felt he had suffered unjust treatment and thus has been petitioning for years.

Smoke from the explosion enveloped the exit/gate

The scene of the incident was the second floor of the Beijing Capital Airport T3 Terminal, 10 meters outside the international arrivals exit.

At 7:40 last night, the scene of the incident had already been unsealed. Firefighters and security personnel had dispersed, while cleaning staff were removing the remnants of the explosive from the walls by the security checkpoint, order having already been restored in the airport.

“[There was] a person holding a bomb, and [it] exploded in front of me.” Netizen witness “mild_luna” posted a photo of the accident on her microblog, claiming that yesterday at 18:24, at the arrival exit B, a man in a wheelchair “holding a bomb at the [arrival] exit, had shouted for a long time without anyone paying any attention to him, and only until [he] unwrapped the white plastic around the bomb and surrounding people felt that something was amiss did security rush over, but before many words were exchanged, the bomb exploded”.

“It sounded like the explosion of a lot of firecrackers bundled together” Witness Mr. Chen said he was only 25 meters away from exit B at the time, and after the loud noise, yellow smoke enshrouded exit B, with him and other people at the scene quickly running away.

Witness Mr. Jin saw, after the explosion, that the man had been separated from [fallen off, blown off] his wheelchair, with blood at the scene. About three minutes later, police arrived, the man was carried onto a stretcher, “still conscious, his head constantly moving on the stretcher, and it seemed like [he] was not badly hurt”.

Injured received medical care accompanied by police

After the incident, the man who set off the homemade explosive device was sent to Jishuitan Hospital for medical care.

In the hospital’s ER, the man lied in bed alone, without any family member present. He was conscious, [and] surrounded by three to four police officers, who chatted with the man from time to time.

Doctors said the man was sent to the hospital yesterday at 19:53, “judging by his physical [injuries], only the left hand was badly mutilated”, and after preliminary examination, the injury to his left hand was determined to be serious, needs to be amputated, but otherwise [the man faces] no life threatening danger.

Bomber had petitioned for many years

Information from Beijing Capital International Airport claims that after the incident, the airport activated its contingency plan for airport facilities being threatened by explosives, various emergency units were dispatched to the scene, the scene was cordoned off, that the smoke has been dissipated, and order was maintained. The airport had already opened another path for inbound passengers.

As it is understood, through confirmation by the Public Security Bureau, the man’s name is Ji Zhongxin, born 1979, from Heze, Shandong, and had previously worked in Guangdong where he felt he suffered unfair treatment and has petitioned [authorities for redress] for years.

Beijing Police issued information that during the incident, the man was injured detonating the self-made explosive device, and is currently receiving medical treatment, without having hurt any of the surrounding people. Public security organs are currently investigating [the incident].

Review

Man distributing leaflets stopped, yells “I have a bomb”

“The man shouted repeatedly, ‘Get away, I have a bomb.’” An employee of a store nearby the Beijing Capital International Airport T3 exit B claimed that about an hour before the incident, she saw a man in a wheelchair appear in the terminal hall. During this time, the man pulled out leaflets from a bag, [and he] attempted to distribute [the leaflets] to inbound passengers, but was stopped by security personnel near the exit gate. Subsequently, the man held a bottle of white-colored bottle-shaped object and screamed at the exit gate, “I have something to say, I have a bomb, stay away”, but no one at the scene had paid him any attention.

The shop worker says when the man detonated the bomb, there were very few passengers at the exit gate, and the man also repeatedly reminded people passing by to keep a distance from him.

A member of the cleaning staff at the scene confirmed having heard a man yelling “stay away” before the incident.

Follow up

Petitioner claims he was paralyzed from beatings by Dongguan security personnel

Guangdong Dongguan Houjie Public Security Sub-Bureau says it will issue a combined response to this matter [allegation]

Yesterday, after the name of the man who detonated a homemade exposive at Beijing Capital International Airport was exposed, this reporter uncovered online “Ji Zhongxing’s blog” as well as relevant websites.

“My name is Ji Zhongxing, male, Han ethnicity, born on 1979 December 1, [I] reside in Shandong province, Heze city, Juancheng county, Fuchun town, Dajizhuang Village, with an elementary school education.” Ji claimed in a 2006 blog post, that on 2005 June 28th, in Dongguan, Guangdong, he was riding a motorcycle with passenger Gong Tao to Xintang, Houjie, and encountered a police patrol checking vehicles on the way. He was chased and beaten with steel pipes by law enforcement officers, causing spinal fractures resulting in complete paralysis, “completely losing the ability to work in the future.”

The blog [post] shows that Ji Zhongxing’s fellow villager had referred him to lawyers Xue Zhaohui and Chen Zhaoyuan from Guangdong Nantianxing Law Firm, and said the two lawyers were willing to provide them with legal assistance.

Soon after this blog post was exposed by netizens, it was promptly deleted.

Yesterday, Lawyer Chen said that he partially understood Ji’s case, but did not get involved or provide representation in this case.

“Lawyers have confirmed Ji’s blog content.” Last night, the Southern Daily microblog published the “administrative compensation application” drafted by lawyers Xue Zhaohui and Chen Zhaoyuan, demanding that the Houjie Dongguan Municipal Public Security Bureau pay Ji Zhongxing 330,000 yuan in compensation as well as investigate the criminal liability of the relevant personnel involved.

Dongguan Public Security Bureau Houjiu Sub-Bureau deputy director Yin Hongfang said they have already learned of Ji’s incident of detonating a bomb at Beijing Capital Airport, but as for what Ji experienced that is circulating online, they will provide a combined response in the near future, as “it’s not convenient to talk [about the matter] over the phone”.

Comments from NetEase:

聑耳 [网易天津市网友]

If the various levels of the government’s administrative departments would do their duty and fulfill their responsibilities, and if the ordinary common people’s reasonable demands could be resolved promptly, an incident like the Ji Zhongxin would not have happened. [I] recommend: Government officials who fail to do their duty and shirk responsibility should be held legally accountable.

网易江苏省镇江市手机网友 [wocaonm]：

Judging by this one sentence of his: “I have bomb in my hands, keep away!” This person isn’t bad.

网易湖南省手机网友： (responding to above)

Has a bit of conscience, doesn’t want to hurt others.

蹉跎人间 [网易山东省菏泽市手机网友]:

[I’m] looking forward to fairness, justice, and openness, so that society can be a transparent and legal society, so that the tree that is the Heavenly Kingdom is not ruined by certain government officials or temporary vermin! Upvote if you agree!

网易山东省青岛市手机网友：

[I] hope unfair incidents will happen less. Self-injury to get attention isn’t worth it!

网易安徽省合肥市手机网友：

[We] have to put an end to this kind of violent method of petitioning/seeking redress for grievances.

hgn528 [网易广西南宁市网友]: (responding to above)

Putting an end to this kind of petitioning through violence needs to start with investigating the root causes, without being lenient, [because] the people who fear not even death must bear great injustice!

雨后的春笋0 [网易江苏省苏州市网友]:

[I] Sympathize [with the man].

不能融化的雪 [网易浙江省杭州市手机网友]:

In the Heavenly Kingdom, incidents like this will only occur more frequently.

网易广东省深圳市手机网友：

A national sorrow [a sadness of the country]. Whenever I see this kind of news, I think, I wish I wasn’t Chinese!

网易山东省菏泽市手机网友：

The choice of someone without a choice.

网易广东省广州市网友：

Expecting fairness and justice [treatment]. Publish the truth, don’t let the people down.

网易辽宁省沈阳市手机网友：

These disabled friends from the lowest level of society are also our brothers and sisters! A fair, just, open, and shared harmonious society is the Chinese dream!!!

高旭波 [网易北京市朝阳区网友]

Bless this poor man!!!

jinhaidai [网易山西省晋城市网友]:

A person who only wanted to get justice, who would rather hurt himself than hurt innocent people. I hope justice will open its eyes for him, and punish the real evil-doers.

网易广东省河源市手机网友：

Only when people go to the extreme do they get any attention, this is sad.

网易天津市网友：

I believe the just law will redress your grievances, but [making an] explosion is going a little too far… Hurting innocent people is bad.

xche77 [网易湖北省咸宁市网友]

It is because ordinary people lack reasonable channels for redress that they take such drastic means. That there are no reasonable channels for complaints is due to the lack of effective oversight mechanisms. I hope the people’s complaints and demands can get reasonable handling by the government, and that the ordinary common people can have legal channels for effective redress.

网易广东省广州市网友：

If [the relevant government departments] had treated the issue seriously back then, would we still have had the serious consequence today? Law enforcement officials need to reflect.

网易山东省临沂市手机网友：

If you harm civilians, then you’re a terrorist!

网易云南省昭通市手机网友：

No matter how big the injustice, people should not harm public security/safety.

草屋漏水待装修 [网易湖南省手机网友]:

Recently, I’ve come to fear reading NetEase! Such grief.

themenglei [网易陕西省西安市手机网友]:

作业本: Every single person who suffered unfair treatment is an unknown time bomb for this nation.

网易广西手机网友：

Can’t get attention, take revenge on society.

网易浙江省杭州市网友 [ldx6401]：

No matter what, using the method of harming the public to achieve one’s own goals itself is the act of a thug, and must not be tolerated.

网易江苏省手机网友： (responding to above)

He only bombed himself.