ID :
12170
Fri, 07/11/2008 - 12:02
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/12170
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82 'terrorists' detained in China before Olympics: report
Beijing, July 11 (PTI) With the detention of 82 suspected militants this year in the Muslim-populated restive northwest region, China Thursday claimed it had smashed five terrorgroups who had targeted Beijing Olympics.
The announcement came a day after the police shot dead five Muslims who they said were seeking a "holy war" againstmajority Han Chinese in Xinjiang.
Police had also destroyed 41 illegal training bases from January to June in the province capital Urumqi, Chen Zhuangwei, head of Urumqi Public Security Bureau, was quotedas saying by official Xinhua news agency. .
The Beijing Olympic torch relay was held successfully in Urumqi on June 17, he said, describing it as a "significant victory" in the first phase of the Olympic security work inXinjiang.
"The second phase has begun. All police officers must continue to work hard and increase the fight against terrorism, so as to provide solid work for the Olympic security and ensure the stability of the regional capital," hesaid.
The suspects had confessed to have received training for launching a "holy war" aiming at killing Han people, the most populous ethnic group in China whom they considered heretics,Police had claimed.
Police yesterday said five terror suspects were shot dead during a raid on their residential apartment where 15 Uygurs including five women were hiding after they wielded knives andthreatened them, all shouting "sacrifice for Allah".
Muslim-dominated oil-rich Xinjiang is a restive region where China accuses militants of working with terror groupsfor an independent state called East Turkistan.
Exiled members of Xinjiang's Turkic-speaking Uygur population allege that the Chinese government is exaggerating the terror threat from the region as an excuse to crack downon dissent ahead of Beijing Olympics.
Vice-Minister of Public Security Yang Huanning said recently that Olympic Games would be a target for various "anti-China and hostile forces" who were trying every possibleway to sabotage the event.
At a regular bi-weekly media briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said, "Facts prove that in this region, there are some groups engaged in terrorist activities." "I believe that in fighting terrorism, we should adopt unified standards and strengthen cooperation to combat terrorism together," Liu said. PTI
The announcement came a day after the police shot dead five Muslims who they said were seeking a "holy war" againstmajority Han Chinese in Xinjiang.
Police had also destroyed 41 illegal training bases from January to June in the province capital Urumqi, Chen Zhuangwei, head of Urumqi Public Security Bureau, was quotedas saying by official Xinhua news agency. .
The Beijing Olympic torch relay was held successfully in Urumqi on June 17, he said, describing it as a "significant victory" in the first phase of the Olympic security work inXinjiang.
"The second phase has begun. All police officers must continue to work hard and increase the fight against terrorism, so as to provide solid work for the Olympic security and ensure the stability of the regional capital," hesaid.
The suspects had confessed to have received training for launching a "holy war" aiming at killing Han people, the most populous ethnic group in China whom they considered heretics,Police had claimed.
Police yesterday said five terror suspects were shot dead during a raid on their residential apartment where 15 Uygurs including five women were hiding after they wielded knives andthreatened them, all shouting "sacrifice for Allah".
Muslim-dominated oil-rich Xinjiang is a restive region where China accuses militants of working with terror groupsfor an independent state called East Turkistan.
Exiled members of Xinjiang's Turkic-speaking Uygur population allege that the Chinese government is exaggerating the terror threat from the region as an excuse to crack downon dissent ahead of Beijing Olympics.
Vice-Minister of Public Security Yang Huanning said recently that Olympic Games would be a target for various "anti-China and hostile forces" who were trying every possibleway to sabotage the event.
At a regular bi-weekly media briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said, "Facts prove that in this region, there are some groups engaged in terrorist activities." "I believe that in fighting terrorism, we should adopt unified standards and strengthen cooperation to combat terrorism together," Liu said. PTI
