Beijing, Aug 30: An Islamic group that wants
independence for China's northwestern Xinjiang region is
suspected of plotting to attack embassies in the neighboring
nation of Kyrgyzstan, a US Embassy spokesman said today.
The spokesman told the Washington post this week that one
target was the us embassy in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital.
However, the embassy said today it couldn't confirm that or
give any details about the targets ``because of security
issues.''
The Islamic group - called the east Turkestan Islamic
movement, or Etim - was recently placed on the US list of
terrorist organizations. China blames the group for nearly 200
deaths during the 1990s, though foreign scholars and diplomats
say many of the killings weren't separatist-related.
The US Embassy spokesman said Kyrgyzstan deported two
Etim members to China in May. They were accused of ``planning
to target embassies in Bishkek, as well as trade Centres and
public gathering places,'' he said on condition on anonymity.
One suspect was Mamet Yasyn, who was allegedly traveling
on a false passport and had surveillance information about
Embassy sites, said a us embassy spokeswoman, who also spoke
on condition of anonymity. The spokeswoman, who did not have
the name of the second suspect, would not provide further
details.
The Islamic group wants independence for Xinjiang, also
called east Turkistan. The dominant ethnic group in the
rugged, sparsely populated region is the Muslim,
Turkic-speaking Uighur people.
US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said this
week in Beijing that, after ``careful study,'' Washington has
placed the Islamic group on the terrorist list.
Bureau Report
