Police probe online sales of homemade bombs, toxic chemicals

SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) -- Police said Wednesday that they have launched a preliminary investigation into online postings offering the sale of homemade bombs and toxic chemicals.
Police discovered 139 posts on major Internet portals and blogs last month advertising homemade explosives and lethal substances for sale. Since then, they have since been looking into the possibility of charging violators, officials at the National Police Agency said.
"Those posts seem to go beyond simply bragging about their knowledge of homemade bombs," an NPA officer said. "We are looking into each case to charge those who engage in trade of such harmful objects with criminal offenses."
One blog under investigation carries a detailed manual for making homemade bombs with shoestrings, while another post explains how to obtain toxic chemicals such as hydrochloric acid that can be deadly, police said.
In an online discussion cafe on a popular portal site, one post that included instructions on how to produce weapons ranging from daggers to smoke bombs reached hundreds of its members, police added.
"Posting information about making and using poison and firearms is also subject to punishment, even when actual transactions do not take place," the NPA officer said. "After the internal probe, we will decide whether to launch a full investigation to bring violators to justice."
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