China destroy terrorist camp in NW region

Police have destroyed a terrorist camp in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region killing 18 terrorists, a spokeswoman with the Xinjiang Public Security Department said on Monday.

One policeman was killed and another wounded in the gun battle on Friday in the mountains of Pamirs plateau in south Xinjiang, said spokeswoman Ba Yan.

The police captured 17 terrorists and are pursuing a number of others, the spokeswoman said. They also seized 22 hand grenades and more than 1,500 others the terrorists had not finished making, as well as guns and other home-made explosives.

The police found that the terrorists operated several mines near the camp to raise fund, Ba said.

Song Hongli, head of the general office of the Xinjiang Public Security Department, said the Xinjiang police will publicize the development in pursuing the runaway terrorists.

The training camp was run by the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a group that the United Nations in 2002 labeled a terrorist organization, according to Ba.

It is believed that more than 1,000 ETIM members have been trained by al-Qaeda.

Former head of the terrorist group, Hasan Mahsum, was shot dead by Pakistani troops on Oct. 2, 2003 in a joint anti-terror operation along the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Hasan Mahsum was accused of plotting a series of violent terrorist activities in recent years, including robbery and murder in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang and murders in Xinjiang's Hotan region, which caused heavy loss of life and property.

Source: Xinhua