KASHGAR: Security has been further beefed up in northwest China’s Xinjiang region, a day after militants carried out a terror attack ahead of the Olympics, killing 16 policemen and injuring an equal number of others.
China declared Tuesday it could guarantee a safe Olympics, even as it announced that Islamic militants were trying to wage a holy war aimed at destroying the Beijing Games that begin in three days. "Terrorists" from home and abroad seeking an independent Muslim state for China's northwest Xinjiang region were involved, authorities said as security was increased there after an attack on Monday that killed 16 policemen.
Road checks were intensified in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and a full security vigilance in public places, including government office buildings, schools and hospitals was ordered, state media reported.
Authorities suspected the hand of the banned East Turkistan Islamic Movement behind the attack which they said had plotted terror attacks during August one to eight ahead of the opening ceremony of Olympics.
Authorities in Kashgar on Monday reinforced police power at road entries to the city, official Xinhua news agency said. In Xinjiang’s capital Urumqi, special police used devices in routine street patrols which can help trace identity data through the police network.
