Hong Kong Secretary for Security Ambrose S K Lee condemned the explosion at Ming Pao Industrial Center on Monday, stressing "we will not allow any violent act or any illegal act to influence our journalists."

He told the press that "we condemn the illegal act that happened at Ming Pao Daily News this afternoon. Hong Kong is a free and peaceful community. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government treasures the freedom of the press and the freedom of speech."

Lee said, together with our community, the HKSAR government will do everything it can to protect the freedom of the press and will not allow such things to happen in Hong Kong, according to a government press release.

The police are still investigating the case and this kind of illegal act in Hong Kong is very, very seldom, he said.

A mail bomb exploded Monday afternoon in Hong Kong's Ming Pao office, injuring a female employee. She was rushed to a hospital nearby together with another staff member who felt uncomfortable because of taking in some unpleasant gas.

At present, one was discharged from the hospital and the another is in a stable condition.

The Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao received an mail box Monday afternoon. The parcel was sent to Ming Pao's office in Chai Wan with a banquet of flowers and exploded when the victim opened the package at around 2 p.m.

The person who sent the parcel blackmailed for a total of 30 million HK dollars (3.9 million US dollars).

Police have described the explosion as 'minor', and said the woman was only slightly injured.

The case is now under investigation.

Source: Xinhua