[Archive 2008-03-09] China kills suspected terrorists, prevents 'air disaster'

Historical archive — originally published 2008-03-09. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

In two separate cases, Chinese police have captured and killed suspected terrorists apparently targeting the 2008 Summer Olympics, and an airplane crew thwarted what appeared to be a planned hijacking, top officials said at a parliament session Sunday.

The suspect terrorist gang was found on January 27 in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang region in northwest China. Two were killed and fifteen others were arrested. Police seized axes, knives, grenades, and "books about terrorism".

The gang was said to have collaborated with the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, a separatist movement labeled a terrorist organization by the United Nations. "Those terrorists, saboteurs and secessionists are to be battered resolutely, no matter what ethnic group they are from," said Wang.

Nur Bekri, chairman of the Xinjiang government and himself an Uyghur, says only a very small minority support the views of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement. "They don't represent the Uighur people," he said.

In another incident, an airplane destined for Beijing was forced to land early after "some people were attempting to create an air disaster," said Nur Bekri, chairman of the Xinjiang government.

The plane took off from Urumqi on Friday and landed in Lanzhou, capital of the neighboring Gansu province. The flight crew stopped the alleged attackers, and all passengers and crew are reported to be safe. The plane finally arrived in Beijing Saturday morning.

An anonymous source told Reuters that flammable material was found in the plane's toilet, and that at least 2 passengers on the flight have been taken into custody for questioning.

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