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China: No Link Between Bus Bombings, Olympics


22 July 2008
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Chinese officials say the investigation into Monday's twin bus bombings in southern China has shown no link with terrorists targeting the Olympics.  The Chinese government says terrorists inside China have plotted to attack the Beijing Olympics, but has produced little evidence to support the claim.  Daniel Schearf reports from Beijing.

China Kunming
The Chinese Foreign Ministry says fatal bus bombings in the southern city, Kunming, are still being investigated, but that, so far, there is no evidence linking the attacks to the Beijing Olympics.

Chinese media reports say two bombs went off on public buses Monday morning, blasting massive holes in the vehicles, killing two people and injuring 14 others. 

Investigators say the bombings were acts of sabotage, but have not named any suspects or given a motive for the attacks.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao says China condemns the violence and that police are conducting a thorough investigation.  He says China will try to solve the case quickly.

Chinese media reports quote public security officials in Kunming saying they have not found any evidence of terrorist groups being involved.

Chinese officials have said Muslim terrorists in China's northwest Xinjiang Province planned to attack major cities during the Olympics and abduct athletes and foreign journalists.

Beijing says it has broken up numerous terrorist plots this year and killed five extremists during a raid in Xinjiang. 

Human rights organizations say Beijing is using terrorism as an excuse to silence dissent among China's Uighur Muslim minority in Xinjiang.

Bombings are rare in China and most are blamed on individual disputes, rather than organized groups or terrorists.

Security officials are offering a reward of $14,000 for any information that can help solve the bus bombings.

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