Now, police are searching for a man suspected in yet another string of explosions Friday in a northern industrial city that killed at least 108 people. The bomb is the weapon of choice in China. While private guns are rare, explosives are readily available for mining or construction. And the range of angry or opportunistic attackers spans the spectrum from gangsters to Muslim guerrillas to jilted lovers. Though China doesn't release statistics, state media suggest the number of bombings is on the rise.
Industrial explosives are for sale in many areas without a permit.
In rural regions where making fireworks is a cottage industry, general stores sell ingredients for gunpowder. Cruder explosives are also widely available. Farmers have easy access to nitrogen-heavy chemical fertilizers similar to those used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people. Four men said to be part of a crime ring were executed last July after being convicted of killing four police officers by blowing up their car. Police said the gang in the northwestern city of Yinchuan used dynamite stolen from a coal mine.