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Hong Kong police arrest nine over 'bomb-making plot' | Hong Kong police arrest nine over 'bomb-making plot' |
(35 minutes later) | |
Police in Hong Kong say they have arrested nine people on suspicion of conspiracy to manufacture explosives. | Police in Hong Kong say they have arrested nine people on suspicion of conspiracy to manufacture explosives. |
The arrests come in the same week that lawmakers are due to vote on a controversial political reform plan. | The arrests come in the same week that lawmakers are due to vote on a controversial political reform plan. |
Police spokesman Ng Wai-hon did not make a direct connection between the arrests and the vote but said at least one of the suspects belonged to a "radical group". | Police spokesman Ng Wai-hon did not make a direct connection between the arrests and the vote but said at least one of the suspects belonged to a "radical group". |
Hong Kong has seen large-scale protests for greater democracy in recent months. | Hong Kong has seen large-scale protests for greater democracy in recent months. |
In April Hong Kong's government unveiled a highly controversial proposal for selecting the city's next chief executive in 2017 which would involve candidates being vetted by a committee made up largely of pro-Beijing members. | In April Hong Kong's government unveiled a highly controversial proposal for selecting the city's next chief executive in 2017 which would involve candidates being vetted by a committee made up largely of pro-Beijing members. |
Democracy activists have said they are opposed to the proposals and pro-democracy legislators have vowed to vote them down. | |
Thousands of people barricaded parts of Hong Kong for more than two months in protest when the proposals were first announced last year. | Thousands of people barricaded parts of Hong Kong for more than two months in protest when the proposals were first announced last year. |
Police said items seized in the raids included air rifles, a formula for making smoke grenades, face masks and maps of locations in central Hong Kong. | |
Police said some of the substances were seized at an abandoned TV studio with other raids taking place at suspects' houses. | |
Pro-democracy activists, some of whom are known as "localists" because of their anti-Beijing stance, have distanced themselves from the alleged plot. | |
"Police said localist activists are making bombs, but I am not sure if it's real or not. We have nothing to do with that," Jon Ho of the Hong Kong Localism Power group told AFP. |
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