Two Hong Kong secondary school students arrested over substance suspected to be powerful explosive TATP
- Form Six pupil, 18, had shown powder wrapped in aluminium foil to teacher at lunchtime, while younger schoolmate found with similar item
- Older suspect thought to have received substance from black-clad man in Mong Kok weeks ago
Two secondary students in Hong Kong were arrested on Wednesday, following the seizure of what is believed to be a small but powerful amount of explosive substance in a school.
Officers from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau and firefighters were called to the Caritas Ma On Shan Secondary School on Kam Ying Road after a report of dangerous goods shortly before 3pm.
The case came to light after an 18-year-old Form Six student showed his teacher some substance in powder form that was wrapped in aluminium foil during lunchtime in school, according to a police source.
At the same time, a 17-year-old Form Four student was also found with a similar item at the school’s playground. The Post was told the younger student claimed the substance was given to him by his senior schoolmate.
Emergency personnel were called in after a chemistry teacher suspected that the powder was a dangerous substance.
“The powder was suspected to be TATP [triacetone triperoxide] after an initial examination. Further wis nheeded,” the source said, adding that police suspected the substance was given to the 18-year-old student by a black-clad man on the streets of Prince Edward in Mong Kok several weeks ago.
