There has reportedly been a foiled plot to disrupt the Sept. 3 military parade with "pigeon bombs." (Photo : Wikimedia)
Several suspects have been reportedly arrested after being accused of plotting to disrupt the Sept. 3 military parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of the War Against Japanese Aggression by releasing "pigeon bombs," according to Bowen Press, a news website tied to American community-based journalism news portal, Boxun.
According to the news site, the suspects are currently being detained in Beijing and questioned by the People's Armed Police to find out their names, ethnicity and motivation.
The website's sources said that the group of suspects have been planning the attack on the parade for several months. They were supposedly planning to release pigeons with explosives attached to them when military planes are flying above Tiananmen Square.
The military has conducted a range of experiments intended to drive birds away for the safety of pilots flying in the parade. There is also reportedly an order that bans free-roaming pets and birds from the city's central districts.
As the parade draws near, the alleged plan has raised questions on safety.
According to Chinese-language paper Want Daily, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Agriculture has banned the release of pigeons from midnight to noon on the day of the parade. The official reason for the ban is the risk of stray birds disrupting the maneuvers of the military during the parade.
Bowen Press has also reported that pilots scheduled to fly in the parade have undergone an assessment of both physical condition and political ideology on Aug. 31. The website suggested that military leaders are concerned of a rogue pilot performing a suicide attack during the parade.
The website, along with its American counterpart, has a reputation for conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated reporting, given that they employ the use of citizen-journalists.
Bowen Press has put forward the idea that the Tianjin blasts on Aug. 12 was an attempt at assassinating members of the Central Standing Committee, who were scheduled to attend a meeting in the area.
Boxun, which reports about China despite being blocked in mainland China, falsely reported that actress Zhang Ziyi received $100 million to sleep with Chinese government officials. Boxun has since apologized following a lawsuit.
