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Train blast believed to be attempt to kill Kim
| Oh, really? Golly. I wonder why nobody here guessed that... |
Officials investigating the devastating North Korean train explosion in April believe the blast was an assassination attempt on the countryâs leader, Kim Jong-il. At the time, the secretive state described the explosion in the border town of Ryongchon as an accident. Electric cables were believed to have ignited a cargo of explosive chemicals and oil. The blast killed more than 160 people and injured 1300. Now, officials close to the investigation believe a mobile phone was used to detonate the trainâs deadly cargo of ammonium nitrate and fuel. The remains of a mobile handset, with adhesive tape attached, have been found at the scene of the blast. Hours before the train exploded, Mr Kim had passed through the town by train on his way back from China. "They still donât know who planted the explosives, if indeed there were any," one official said. "Itâs very difficult to find any sign, as they would have used only a small amount to detonate a huge amount of ammonium nitrate." The official said it was not certain yet that the blast was an assassination attempt, but the theory had become the main thrust of the inquiry.
| Ummm... Anybody come up with another reason to intentionally blow up a train? |
"A short-circuit might have been responsible, but evidence they [investigators] have is quite convincing that it was not." Mr Kimâs itinerary was frequently altered for security reasons, the official said, which probably saved his life. The owner of the mobile phone found at the scene had been traced and questioned, he said.
| Wonder if anybody's claimed the remains yet? |
It would not have been the first assassination attempt against Mr Kim, who succeeded his father Kim Il-sung as leader in 1994. At the end of the 1990s, a plan hatched by a number of army generals was uncovered, and the conspirators arrested. After they were interrogated, the generals were executed in Pyongyangâs 150,000-capacity May Day Stadium. Petrol was poured over them and set alight, burning them alive. In light of the Ryongchon evidence, Pyongyang has banned North Koreans from using mobile phones. The decision, made a fortnight ago, dealt a severe blow to the state-owned mobile phone operator, which had just started to make a profit.
EMPHASIS ADDED
Banning the use of all mobile phones? What a great way to choke off your entire countryâs productivity! Thatâs sort of like how the Soviet Unionâs massive bureaucracy was terrified of Xerox copiers. I do not envy that chap who is being interrogated about his cell phone.
Posted by: Zenster 2004-06-13 |
