Hong Kong police said two homemade bombs were found in a train cabin at Lo Wu MTR station on Sunday.
Francis Po, a superintendent of the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau, told reporters that a cleaner discovered a plastic bag under the chair at around 3:10pm. Upon closer inspection, MTR staff found suspicious items inside – including electric wires – and called the police.
Po said that after police cordoned off the scene at around 3:50pm, the items suddenly caught fire and generated a loud bang. Officers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau found two homemade bombs, one of which had exploded. Further analysis will be carried out, he said.
Po said that if the bombs had detonated inside an enclosed space, they could have injured a large number of people. He added that an online group has claimed responsibility for the devices.
“We strongly condemn these extremely violent people. Their act brings us one step closer to terrorism,” he said.
Po said the case was the fourth of its kind in recent months. “We will not tolerate such acts. We will try our best to catch all of [the perpetrators],” he said.
Stick 92, a channel on the messaging app Telegram, has claimed responsibility for the incident.
The name of the channel refers to the result of a traditional fortune stick drawing at the Che Kung Temple last week by the head of the powerful rural body Heung Yee Kuk, which predicted an unlucky year for Hong Kong.
Stick 92 said their members had placed the bombs on a train headed towards the mainland border.
The channel warned that mainlanders and Hongkongers who have visited China should not travel to the city in order to avoid “spreading disease,” or face being “bombed” as a result.
A novel virus was first detected in Wuhan, China, and has infected more than 17,000 worldwide. It bears symptoms similar to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed over 300 people in Hong Kong in 2003.
Stick 92 said they have ways to discreetly plant bombs regardless of how careful the police are.
“We will defend our city. You’re welcome to experience the power of the bombs,” it said.
