Shanghai prosecutors ratified the arrest of Yang Jia for manslaughter, accusing the 28-year-old man from Beijing of stabbing six Shanghai police officers to death and wounding four others at Zhabei District Public Security Bureau last week.

The Shanghai Public Security Bureau said Yang was completely responsible for his actions following expert testimony that ruled out the possibility he was mentally unstable during the attacks.

The bureau said Yang lauched the attack in order to get revenge for wrongly being accused of having stolen a bicycle.

Yang had been detained by Zhabei District police for renting a stolen bike in October. When questioned by officers, the man allegedly abused police and interfered with their official duties, according to the security bureau.

After being released, he complained to senior departments several times and demanded compensation for mental anguish, the bureau said.

Yang insisted that police should not have interrogated or exmainined him. Though police staff tried to pacify him, Yang rejected all offers of mediation and decided to take revenge, the bureau said.

A police investigation showed that Yang stayed at a hostel about 20 meters from Zhijiang Road W. Police Station in Zhabei District between June 12 and 23 to observe and monitor the station, the bureau said. On June 26, Yang returned to Shanghai and stayed at another hostel near the Zhabei District Public Security Bureau, according to the bureau.

Later he purchased tear gas spray, a knife of more than 10 centimeters and a mountaineering stick, the bureau said.

Meanwhile, Yang's lawyer Xie Youming has denied his client was a former soldier during an interview with Guangzhou Daily.

"He signed up for an accounting course after gratuating from a middle school," Xie told the paper. "Yang made a living by doing odd jobs in Beijing. He has never joined the army or received any special training.''

According to the newspaper, Xie talked to Yang only one hour after the alleged attacks.

"He was quite different from other suspects. During the meeting he was cold but sober-minded,'' Xie told the newspaper. "He was aware of his rights right from the beginning. When someone came in to take photos, he asked whether it was lawful.''

In other developments in the case, Cheng Jiulong, vice director of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, said that police had arrested a native of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, yesterday. The suspect allegedly made up a false rumour about the incident and posted it on the Internet.

The unidentified suspect allegedly said Yang was beaten up by Zhabei District police and had his reproductive organs seriously damaged.

"The man confessed he started the rumour in order to become more popular with the online community,'' Cheng said.

(Shanghai Daily July 7, 2008)