Dongzhimen bomb suspect in court
- Source: Global Times
- [09:00 March 31 2011]
- Comments
The young man accused of causing an explosion near Dongzhimen last October, injuring an American studying in Beijing, stood trial at the Dongcheng district court Wednesday.
Lei Sen, 22, from Peng'an county, Sichuan Province, set off an explosive device in front of the Sky Plaza near Dongzhimenwai Dajie on October 21, 2010.
Prosecutors claimed that Lei was trying to take revenge on society, according to a release from the court.
Lei admitted during the court session that he has long suffered from psychological problems, but that he could not afford medical treatment.
Lei's lawyer revealed that as an adopted child, Lei had trouble communicating with others, including his family, and that he had faced many setbacks in his life, the Beijing Evening News reported.
Lei also said that he had targeted foreigners in the attack, as he thought they were comparatively rich. He recounted to the court Wednesday that he detonated the homemade device when he saw a foreigner approaching, and that he "heard a loud noise and saw dense smoke rising up" before fleeing the scene, according to the report.
The foreigner, identified by the court as Santeii Michael Charles, received slight injuries to his right leg. He did not press charges or attend the court session, according to the Legal Mirror Wednesday.
Lei also told the court that he had placed an explosive device under the Xizhimen overpass before making the attempt at Dongzhimen, but that the first device never exploded.
According to related laws, criminals charged with the crime of causing an explosion that does not have serious consequences can be sentenced to three to 10 years imprisonment.
Global Times
