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Appeal for global help to arrest suspects who targeted Games

China yesterday appealed to the international community for help in arresting eight suspected terrorists who allegedly plotted attacks within and outside the mainland during the Beijing Olympics.

'We reiterate that China is willing to co-operate with the international community to counter terrorism, and hopes to strengthen co-operation with concerned countries in sharing intelligence, extraditing terrorist suspects, and severing funding for terrorist activities,' Ministry of Public Security spokesman Wu Heping said.

'We hope that the governments and justice departments of these concerned countries will carry out criminal investigations into these eight terrorists, and immediately arrest them and transfer them to China once they have hunted them down, so their criminal liability can be determined according to law,' Mr Wu said.

The ministry said the eight belonged to the Xinjiang separatist East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which is allegedly linked to al-Qaeda and has been designated a terrorist organisation by the United Nations.

Beijing regularly blames ETIM for terror attacks in Xinjiang, because the group allegedly advocates the use of violence to re-establish the nation of East Turkestan, which includes Uygur-majority Xinjiang, a region bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan.

However, human rights groups remain sceptical amid concerns that Beijing exaggerates ETIM's works to justify clamping down on Uygurs.

Some research institutes say this bias partly stems from the lack of access to information about Xinjiang, and the fact that mainland authorities usually provide scant information when announcing successful crackdowns on terrorist groups.

Yesterday the ministry supplied a booklet on the suspects but took no questions.

Mr Wu said the eight suspects were all involved in terror plots to derail the Beijing Olympics.

Some were allegedly leaders who gave orders, some were organisers and recruiters, and some raised funds and acquired equipment.

The common aim was to wage a 'holy war' on Chinese officials, army officers, police, western leaders, athletes and spectators.

Their proposed methods included assassination, arson, car bombs, suicide bombs and even biochemical weapons.

ETIM head Memetiming Memeti was number one on the list. He allegedly gave the order to launch terror attacks targeting the Olympics in January, and subsequently threatened that the group would 'use the simplest way to deal the Chinese government a lethal blow' and 'turn 2008 into a year of mourning for China'.

Before the Olympics, Beijing said Xinjiang terrorist attacks were among the top three threats to security at the games.

In August, a series of bombings in the Xinjiang centres of Kuqa and Kashgar were blamed on ETIM.

Grenades were thrown by terrorists at a police team on their morning jog, killing 16 and injuring 16 others. At least 12 Olympic-targeted terror plots were foiled before the Games. In March, a young Uygur woman allegedly planned to detonate a bomb on board a Beijing-bound flight from Urumqi during the National People's Congress.

In July, a previously unknown Xinjiang separatist group, the Turkestan Islamic Party, claimed responsibility for deadly blasts in four cities in the preceding months and threatened to sabotage the Olympics. However, the government has disputed such claims.

This is the second time since 2003 that Beijing has announced a list of insurgents threatening national security in the East Turkestan cause. Foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said yesterday that the announcement indicated China's determination to rein in the three forces of separatism, terrorism and religious extremism.

The blacklist

Beijing's allegations against the suspected terrorists from the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM)

Memetiming Memeti

Head of movement since November 2003; gave order in January to launch attacks on Chinese cities during Olympics

Memetituersun Yiming

In Charge of support and fund-raising for movement since 2004; planned bomb attacks inside and outside China during Olympics

Emeti Yakuf

Chief military commander of movement since 2001; despatched more than 10 members into China and other countries to launch terror attacks during Olympics

Xiamisidingaihemaiti Abudumijiti

Recruited ETIM members in Middle Eastern country since 2007; raised funds, acquired explosives and prepared for bombing of mall housing Chinese shops in Middle Eastern country before Games opening ceremony

Yakuf Memeti

Received terrorist training and prepared for suicide attack in China; surveyed Chinese companies and Chinese communities in South Asian countries for attacks during Olympics

Aikemilai Wumaierjiang

A key member of movement since 2007; acquired explosives in a Middle Eastern country and prepared for bombing of mall housing Chinese shops before opening ceremony

Tuersun Toheti

Contacted leader of ETIM and expressed intention to launch bomb attacks outside China during Olympics; set up ETIM terror cell in July, raised funds and acquired explosives

Memetituersun Abuduhalike

In charge of ETIM website maintenance and computer management since 2003; incited Xinjiang extremists to launch terror attacks before and during Olympics

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