Hong Kong protests: fingerprints lifted from folder, notebook prompt student to reverse not guilty plea in explosives case
- The student and a co-defendant have now both admitted producing gunpowder and thermite at a makeshift explosives lab
- In addition to the explosives charges, the co-defendant is also facing allegations relating to drones believed to be intended for carrying bombs
Student Ting Chin-fung had initially denied two explosives charges, as well as a third relating to drones believed to be intended for carrying bombs. However, Ting rescinded his plea and admitted the explosives allegations after prosecutors submitted last-minute fingerprint evidence indicating his involvement.
The court heard Ting had joined fellow student Tung Sheung-lam, 25, and other unknown conspirators in manufacturing gunpowder and thermite inside a tenement flat on Oak Street in Tai Kok Tsui in October of 2019.
Police arrested the pair at 7.30pm on October 15 after the latter was seen leaving the building.
The makeshift laboratory was being used to store 723 grams of potassium nitrate, 413 grams of carbon and 457 grams of sulphur – enough raw ingredients to produce 723 grams of gunpowder.
Investigators also found 666 grams of a mixture of powdered aluminium, iron oxide and magnesium carbonate, all common ingredients of thermite, a substance that burns at very high temperatures. However, the mixture at the lab was incapable of ignition as there were miscalculations in the ingredients’ proportions.
The flat also contained 23.5 litres of petrol, 1.3 litres of organic solvents and three drones thought to be capable of carrying small firebombs.
