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China: Search for the Kunming bus bombers

Categories: East Asia, China, Disaster, Governance, Law

Following the bus explosions in Kunming [1] yesterday, a report [2] from a local news website there on the armed police roadside ID checks has been made a feature story on Netease's news page, photos included:

[2]

While there isn't space for comments on the original Kunming-based Cailong China story, the number found on the Netease version [3] is growing quickly:

网易内蒙古赤峰网友 ip:222.74.*.*:
2008-07-22 15:57:04 发表
抓住他们,杀无赦

Inner Mongolia:
Arrest them, kill them, pardon none

网易河北唐山网友 ip:121.20.*.*:
2008-07-22 15:58:03 发表
板凳?

Hebei:
No trial?

网易陕西西安网友 ip:125.76.*.*:
2008-07-22 16:08:25 发表
这些家伙太可恶了
一定要严查,解决打击这些社会败类
向遇难的同胞默哀!

Shaanxi:
These guys are too evil
They must carry out strict checks, and take care of these society-attacking scum
To my suffering compatriots, I salute you!

网易山东菏泽网友 ip:219.146.*.*:
2008-07-22 16:28:31 发表
不顾百姓安危搞恐怖事件的极端分子讲会受到全世界人民的惩罚。
支持的顶起

Extremists who disregard public safety and carry out terrorist activities will be punished by all the people of the world.
Click ‘Support’ if you agree.

Danwei [4] and Shanghaiist [5] have as usual been on top of the news. Shanghaiist links to a GoKunming post [6] which looks at the possibility that there were actually three explosions yesterday; a commenter at Danwei puts forward [7] a rumor that there as many as five. Also in the comments on Danwei's post is active China expat blog commenter Spelunker, who notes the wording [8] of an SMS text message which Kunming police have already confirmed was sent out prior to the first blast:

Evidently somebody in Kunming sent the following text message warning around 5:30 am before the bombings:

“蝼蚁总动员……希望收到此短信的市民,不要在明天早上乘坐54、64、及84路工(公)交车……”
The Guardian translates it into English as:
“The general mobilisation of ants… (I) hope citizens receiving this message will not take bus lines 54, 64 and 84 tomorrow morning,”

Speculation so far on motive for the attack seems to have painted a group of disgruntled rubber farmers [9] not far from Kunming as the top suspects, so how do…ants figure in? Ants?? [10]