China kindergarten bomber 'neurologically disturbed'

Police investigating a deadly blast near a kindergarten in eastern China found material for making bombs in the room the suspected attacker was renting, where words such as "death" and "kill" were written on the walls, the local city government said on Friday.

At least eight people, including the suspected attacker, were killed and at least 65 people were wounded in Thursday's explosion at the front gate of the kindergarten in Xuzhou, in Jiangsu province, local authorities and Chinese media reported.

Investigators said the blast was caused by a homemade bomb and that the main suspect was a 22-year-old Xuzhou resident who lived and worked near the kindergarten.

'No children killed'

The suspect had dropped out of school owing to a neurological disorder, according to authorities. 

The official Xinhua News Agency reported that eight of the injured were still in critical condition, but that no children or teachers were among those killed.

The blast struck the Chuangxin Kindergarten at about 4:50 p.m. local time (0748 UTC), police and authorities said.

Investigators said they conducted DNA matching tests to prove the indentity of the man, named Xu, and had closed the invesigation.

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Rise in attacks

Kindergartens in China have previously been targeted by people bearing grudges against their neighbors and employers, or society in general.

Early in May, a school bus packed with kindergarten pupils burst into flames in a tunnel in the eastern province of Shandong. Officials said the bus driver, angry at losing overtime wages, had set the fire.

The rise in attacks has prompted officials to tighten security around many schools, by posting guards armed with truncheons and installing gates and other barriers.

China maintains tight control over firearms and most attacks are carried out using knives, axes or homemade explosives.

tj/se (dpa, AFP, AP)