The police found that since last year, some people have made comments on social media attacking police officers and judicial officers, including wishing the police "death and clearing the light", attacking the police headquarters, etc., and even claiming to have made explosives.
After in-depth investigation by the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau and the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau (Note O), they took action yesterday (23rd) to smash a suspected explosive device in Tung Tau Estate, Wong Tai Sin. The "small chemical laboratory" and a mini warehouse in San Po Kong seized explosives including TATP (triacetone triperoxide) and HMTD (hexamethylene triperoxide diamine), and three persons were arrested.
Police show some of the seized evidence.
(Police photo)
The three arrested include two men and one woman, a 31-year-old man surnamed Zhang, his 60-year-old father and a 63-year-old mother surnamed Hong, on suspicion of "making explosives" and "inciting others with intent to cause grievous bodily harm".
They lived together in a public housing unit in Kwai Tung House, Tung Tau Estate, and were arrested in the unit.
Among them, 31-year-old Zhang Nan reported that he worked as a computer technician. The police said that they could not see that the suspect needed to have a large number of different types of chemicals because of his work relationship.
The police explained the case this afternoon, saying that the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Investigation Bureau has noticed from time to time that some people on the Internet are advocating violence in different discussion forums or groups, and carrying out radical acts against judicial officials and police officers.
From July last year to April this year, the Cyber Crime Bureau found that activists on social media communication platforms targeted judicial officers and police officers, posting messages that advocated violence and incited others to intimidate or harass judicial officers and police officers. Some of them claimed to have used everyday items, developed explosives, and incited others to attack police headquarters.
Evidence involved.
(Police photo)
After an in-depth investigation, the Cyber Crime Bureau identified a 31-year-old local man and launched an arrest operation yesterday (23rd) afternoon. The man and two other men and women involved were arrested in a residential unit of a public housing estate in Wong Tai Sin District.
In one of the rooms of the unit, the personnel found a large number of tools and raw materials suspected to be used for making explosives. It was suspected that the scene was a small chemical laboratory for making explosives, so they immediately requested the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Division (EOD) personnel to come to the scene to assist, and referred the case to O for further investigation.
In this small chemical laboratory, O remembered that there were many devices in it, including some measuring cups, a large number of wire devices, circuit boards, some timing devices, some homemade heating devices, and even some devices to increase pressure.
The police seized about 20 kilograms of chemical raw materials, including potassium chlorate, sodium sulfate, calcium nitrate, lead acetate, as well as some chemicals similar to urethane water and canal water.
During the investigation, the police found that the arrested 31-year-old man also rented a mini-storage in San Po Kong. After a thorough search, officers seized a batch of about 10 to 15 kilograms of different types of chemicals in the mini-storage. It is believed that it may be possible. For the purpose of making explosives, it is suspected that the arrested person intends to use these devices and chemicals to make bombs and endanger public safety.
Officers from EOD and the Government Laboratory also attended the scene to assist in the evidence collection. The explosives found included TATP (Triacetone Triperoxide) and HMTD (Hexamethylene Triperoxide Diamine).
Police say TATP and HMTD are often used by terrorists around the world and are extremely lethal and can cause serious casualties.
Asked whether the people involved will use the bomb on the anniversary of the 7.1 Hong Kong handover?
O's Superintendent Chen Huineng said that the tentative investigation has shown that the person involved will not use the explosives involved in the case on a specific day. At this stage, the police also need to conduct detailed chemical analysis and verification to determine whether the explosives involved have been completed or not. Still in the production stage.
Tan Weixin, Superintendent of the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Investigation Branch, pointed out that according to the investigation, the 31-year-old arrested in the case was involved in January and April this year. In an open group, he had expressed his hope that the police would die and attack the police headquarters. ; In addition, he also left a message in a group in July and August last year, expressing that he wanted to find some judges to settle accounts, including asking a certain judge to "live on the edge", "do not tie the edge", "do you want to The suspect has even talked about his own research and development of explosives on social communication platforms.
Police say the case is still under investigation and more arrests cannot be ruled out.