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China 'foils Olympic terror plot' China 'foils Olympic terror plot'
(20 minutes later)
China says it has cracked two terror groups plotting attacks on visitors attending August's Beijing Olympics. China says it has cracked a terror plot to kidnap athletes, journalists and tourists at August's Beijing Olympics.
The government said 35 arrests had been made and explosives seized in heavily Muslim north-western Xinjiang province.The government said 35 arrests had been made and explosives seized in heavily Muslim north-western Xinjiang province.
Last month China said police in January had smashed a plot to attack the Olympics and that a planned attack on a Chinese airliner had been foiled. It is not clear if the alleged plot is the same as that announced last month, when China said police in January had smashed a bid to attack the Games.
Xinjiang is home to a number of Muslim Uighurs, some of whom want independence in the region they call East Turkestan.Xinjiang is home to a number of Muslim Uighurs, some of whom want independence in the region they call East Turkestan.
The development was announced by Ministry of Public Security spokesman Wu Heping at a news conference.The development was announced by Ministry of Public Security spokesman Wu Heping at a news conference.
He was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying: "At the end of last year an overseas East Turkestan terrorist group issued an order requesting its members to enter the country to be ready to launch terrorist attacks at the Beijing Olympics." He was quoted by AFP news agency as saying: "The violent terrorist group plotted to kidnap foreign journalists, tourists, and athletes during the Beijing Olympics and, by creating an international impact, achieve the goal of wrecking the Beijing Olympics."
As the opening of the Games draws closer China has become more concerned about security, say correspondents. At the 1972 Munich Olympics, Palestinian terrorists kidnapped and killed nine Israeli athletes.
The authorities said last month that a plane crew had prevented an attempt to crash a flight from Xinjiang to Beijing and that two passengers had been detained. As the opening of China's Games draws closer it has become more concerned about security, say correspondents.
The authorities also said last month that a plane crew had prevented an attempt to crash a flight from Xinjiang to Beijing and that two passengers had been detained.
Western diplomats have since asked for more information about the alleged hijack attempt but have said that so far no evidence have emerged.
Uighur activists have accused the Chinese authorities of fabricating terrorist plots to crack down on the people of the region and prevent them airing legitimate grievances.
Many in Xinjiang resent the recent and large-scale influx into the region of Han Chinese settlers, observers say, though there have been few reports of violence.Many in Xinjiang resent the recent and large-scale influx into the region of Han Chinese settlers, observers say, though there have been few reports of violence.
China brands the separatists terrorists and has claimed more than 260 terror acts have been committed in Xinjiang in the past two decades. China brands the separatists as terrorists and has claimed more than 260 terror acts have been committed in Xinjiang in the past two decades.