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'Terror cells' found in west China

by Barbara McPherson | June 3, 2009 at 01:31 pm

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Seven 'terrorist cells' have been discovered and arrests made in the far west of China.

According to the China Daily newspaper, the "cells" were based in the Kashgar, close to the border with Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The report said all members of the groups had been arrested, but gave no further details.

It said the cells were uncovered by police in the first four months of the year, although the newspaper did not say why it was only now being reported.

Kashgar is an ancient city and centre of the Uighur culture which is distinct from the Han Chinese. Uighurs are descended from historical silk road traders and are of Turkic origin, many of whom follow the Islamic faith.

Human rights groups have accused Chinese authorities of using allegations of terrorism to suppress peaceful pro-independence sentiment among Xinjiang's indigenous ethnic Uighurs.

The Uighurs, Turkic-speaking Muslims, are distinct from China's ethnic majority Han who increasingly dominate economic life in Xinjiang.

Amnesty International reported on human rights violations in this area. In 2006 a Canadian citizen Huseyin Celil was arrested while visiting in Uzbekistan and deported to China to face terrorist charges. The Canadian government registered objections to the deportation but was ignored by the PRC officials. He was subsequently subjected to a show trial and sentenced to a lengthy jail sentence.

The China Daily quoted Zhang Jian, the top Communist Party official in Kashgar, as saying there were signs that the cells had foreign links and were given orders by "remote control" via the internet.

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Yellow Guitar

at 14:21 on June 3rd, 2009

Al-Quada or whoever these terrorists are will likely find they have met their match in ruthlessnes in the Chinese government. If they are indeed terrorists that is. And if they are, they need to understand they are dealing with a regime that rules largely on the basis of terror already (although there are hopeful signs of a softening in the more media infiltrated parts of the nation.)

Uwe Paschen

at 19:53 on June 3rd, 2009

China has been fighting Radical Cells such as this one for some time.

And so has Russia, the US and the EU. These movements do not help improve Human rights nor Civil right rather the opposite and this by popular demand.