Guo Xinshun, a native of Baoji City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, was executed on Friday in his hometown after being convicted of arson, said sources from Shaanxi Provincial Higher People's Court.

Guo, aged 43, a hardened criminal, was imprisoned twice in 1984 and 1993 for extortion and illegal possession of narcotics. In 1997 he was twice thrown into a compulsory drug-treatment camp, and was again put in a labor camp for the same offense in May 1998.

Guo, who was set free in August 2002, had developed hatred toward Han Qianxin, a policeman with the police station on Jing'er Road of Baoji City Public Security Bureau Weibin Branch, who was put in charge of Guo's case.

On learning that Han was receiving medical treatment at a traditional Chinese medicine hospital in Baoji City in May 2004, Guo haunted Han's ward, demanding compensation from him.

On May 15, 2004, Guo took to Han's ward an axe and a bottle of gasolene. Guo doused Han with the gasoline when the latter was lying in bed waiting for a transfusion. The two wrestled and Han got out of bed intending to grab the axe.

Guo ignited the gasoline and Han was set on fire. Both Han and Guo suffered burns. Guo later surrendered to police after he came out of the hospital.

A court verdict from the Intermediate People's court of Baoji City found Guo guilty of attempted murder and sentenced him to death. Though Guo surrendered to the police, he refused to discuss the details about crime and was therefore not dealt with leniently.

Guo later lodged an appeal with the Shaanxi Provincial Higher People's Court, but it upheld the lesser court's ruling.

(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2005)