'Student blew off school's roof in warning to teachers'

A 15-year-old student blew up part of his school's roof and part of the wall with a self-made explosive device he hid inside a rubbish bin.

DUBAI // A 15-year-old blew off part of his school's roof with a bomb he hid in a rubbish bin to warn his teachers against treating students and bus drivers badly, prosecutors believe.

They claim that AM, an Iranian boy at Salman Al Farsi School in Dubai, was given the explosives by the school's 26-year-old Iranian bus driver, MS, who wrapped them in a pair of tracksuit bottoms that had been left on his bus.

Both are on trial for posing a risk to the lives of students and others, as well as damaging the school's property - the boy's case is being heard by the Dubai Juvenile Court, while the driver has been referred to the Misdemeanours Court.

Police were first informed of an explosion at the school in Al Qusais on November 24. However, when they arrived they found that the blast occurred the day before and that school administrators had already cleaned up much of the debris. No one was harmed in the explosion, which took place at about midday next to a classroom on the first floor.

The school kept the remains of the explosive device in plastic bags for the police to investigate. One bag contained a battery, wires and a timing device used to control detonation of the bomb.

During police interrogations the driver said that another man identified as KS taught him how to make the explosives.

A verdict in the student's trial is expected on May 22.