Beijing court hears airport blast case

Ji Zhongxing, who is charged with causing a blast in the Beijing Capital International Airport in July, stands trial at the Beijing Chaoyang District People's Court, Sept 17, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - A Beijing court on Tuesday began hearing the case of a man charged with causing a blast in the Beijing Capital International Airport in July.

The court hearing began at 9 am at the Beijing Chaoyang District People's Court, where the suspect, Ji Zhongxing, appeared on a stretcher.

Ji, a wheelchair-bound man from East China's Shandong province, set off a homemade explosive device outside the airport's Terminal 3 arrivals exit on July 20, severely injuring himself. A police officer at the scene suffered minor injuries in the explosion.

The Beijing Chaoyang District People's Procuratorate filed charges against Ji of causing an explosion on August 29.

According to the country's criminal law, anyone who causes an explosion or uses other means to endanger public security without causing serious consequences shall be sentenced to a fixed-term imprisonment of no less than three years but no more than ten years.