Xinjiang police issue order to detain family members of Urumqi bomb suspect

Xinjiang police are looking for 10 family members of an alleged assailant killed in Wednesday's deadly bomb and knife attack in Urumqi.

In a notice issued on Friday, the police offered a reward of up to 100,000 yuan (HK$126,000) for information on the attack that took place just as President Xi Jinping wrapped up his tour of the restive region.

It urged all units to conduct "thorough investigations" for more information about one of the suspects, who has yet to be identified.

Police said earlier that two assailants set off bombs after launching a frenzied knife attack at Urumqi South railway station, killing themselves and one bystander, and injuring 79 others. Xinjiang Daily yesterday said it only took four seconds for the suspects to detonate the bombs.

The police identified one of the two suspects killed at the scene as Sedirdin Sawut, 39, from Aksu in southern Xinjiang, and said he was influenced by "extreme religious thoughts".

The name of the other assailant has not been disclosed, but police released photos of the suspects to relevant authorities, one set taken at the scene of the blast and the other taken of the suspects' corpses, according to a copy of police orders obtained by the Sunday Morning Post.

Police ordered authorities to use all resources, including "secretive forces," to conduct a thorough investigation "by all means" into the assailants and other suspects. Checks on guests at hotels, internet cafes and public baths are to be stepped up.