China blames Pakistan-trained separatists for Xinjiang attack

[News_Editor]

China blames Pakistan-trained separatists for Xinjiang attack

2011-08-02 06:28:53 GMT+7 (ICT)

BEIJING (BNO NEWS) -- China blamed on Monday Pakistan-trained Muslim separatists for the weekend attack that left six dead in the country's far-western Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, state-run media reported on Monday.

The local government said in an online statement that the attackers were trained in making explosives and firearms by the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) in Pakistan before entering Xinjiang where the attack took place. The ETIM traditionally trains its members for suicide bombings and car bombings before sending them to Xinjiang, but today more are using the Internet, the statement said as reported by Xinhua news agency.

The government also issued arrest warrants for two local ethnic Uygurs, who allegedly fled the scene after participating in the attacks. The police have offered 100,000 yuan ($15,384) for information leading to their arrests.

Six civilians were killed, 15 others -- including three policemen -- were injured after attackers set fire to a restaurant and started randomly killing civilians in Kashgar on Sunday. Five suspects were shot dead by police.

Sunday's violence came after at least eight civilians were killed and 27 others were injured on Saturday night in the same city. Two people hijacked a truck, stabbed the driver to death and drove the vehicle into pedestrians before jumping out and attacking bystanders. One of the suspects was killed in the clash while the other was apprehended.

The local government did not specifically label Saturday's attack as an act of terrorism, according to state media.

Zhang Chunxian, secretary of Xinjiang regional committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), ordered a crackdown on terrorist attacks and religious extremist forces following the incidents and said the violent attacks would greatly damage the region's stability. He added: "People in Xinjiang should stay vigilant and recognize that terrorist attackers are the 'common enemies of all ethnic groups'".

The province of Xinjiang, home to China's Uygur minority and other ethnic groups, has seen violent ethnic riots in the past. On July 18, police shot 14 "rioters" who attacked a police station and killed four people in Xinjiang's Hotan city.

This was the worst violence since 2009 when rock-flinging and knife-wielding rioters looted shops, torched vehicles and killed nearly 200 people.

Xinjiang -- with 41.5 percent of its population Uygurs, a largely Muslim Chinese ethnic group -- borders eight central and western Asian countries, many of which have been attacked by terrorist and extremist militant groups.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-08-02

[maidu]

When China implodes or (to put it another way), when its people get so fed up with the iron-fisted heartless politburo in Beijing, the riots and mayhem will ensue. At least two states will pull away. Xinjiang and Tibet will become independent, similar to Belarus and Ukraine breaking away from the USSR. All the king's (China's) soldiers and all the king's men won't be able to put China together again. Broken China on the floor of reality. Am not well versed on Xinjiang, but I know that Tibet has a long history of independence, and was only forced to become part of China by the Chinese military invasion in the 1950's.

[geriatrickid]

Pakistan had better watch out as China may become closer with the Indians and isolate Pakistan even more.

[Steely Dan]

I can't see China taking religion of peace troubles lightly and Pakistan should be left to face their anger without U.S support. As a side issue, sadly I think Tibet is now part of China for good - it only ever had a tiny population and the Chinese have systematically flooded the area with Han Chinese so the Tibetans are now a minority in their own land.

[koheesti]

Wait a minute, wasn't China supposed to be one of Pakistan's best friends? Didn't they get a sneak peak at the tail rotor of the stealth helicopter that crashed getting bin Laden? If Pakistan continues to piss off its "allies" like the US and China, what's next for them?

[uptheos]

There is a need for the fundamentalist's to start attacking another major power.

No need to attack the USA, they are doing a good job at self destructing.

[DP25]

When China implodes or (to put it another way), when its people get so fed up with the iron-fisted heartless politburo in Beijing, the riots and mayhem will ensue. At least two states will pull away. Xinjiang and Tibet will become independent, similar to Belarus and Ukraine breaking away from the USSR. All the king's (China's) soldiers and all the king's men won't be able to put China together again. Broken China on the floor of reality. Am not well versed on Xinjiang, but I know that Tibet has a long history of independence, and was only forced to become part of China by the Chinese military invasion in the 1950's.

China has been settling Tibet with Han Chinese, Tibetans will be a minority soon enough. They're doing the same thing in western China where Muslims are the majority. They're planning on keeping these places forever by making the native culture a minority.