Mainland authorities ordered the arrest of the founder of the outlawed Falun Gong sect, Li Hongzhi, yesterday and called for international help to achieve his detention.
A week after banning the sect, the Ministry of Public Security issued a 'wanted circular' for Li's arrest for disturbing public order, Xinhua said.
The news agency added that co-operation had been sought from Interpol member states.
But the dispatch did not mention whether Beijing would ask for Li, 47, who lives in the United States, to be extradited to China.
The circular said Li 'spread superstition and malicious fallacies to deceive people, resulting in the deaths of many practitioners, and instigating chaos to destroy social stability', the Xinhua report said.
A ministry spokesman claimed 'superstition' and 'witchery' spread by Li and his group were to blame for the deaths of 743 followers who had refused medication or committed murder or suicide.
The arrest order also accused Li of organising demonstrations without permits, Xinhua said.