China Uncovers New Terror Plot Against Olympics

The Chinese government claims that they uncovered a terror plot to attack the Olympics, including kidnapping athletes and others connected to the Beijing Games. They arrested 22 people and captured almost 22 pounds of explosives.

Thirty-five members of a ring based in the restive western Xinjiang region were arrested, Ministry of Public Security Spokesman Wu Heping told a news conference.

"We face a real terrorist threat," Wu said. The arrests took place between March 26 and April 6, he said.

Since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror hijackings, China has tried to portray the simmering separatist rebellion in Xinjiang as being fueled by terrorist organizations in Central Asia and the Middle East. But evidence made public has been scarce.

Western embassies asked Beijing for more information after authorities said they broke up an attempt to hijack a plane in western China last month but so far no evidence has been provided, diplomats have said.

On Thursday, Wu said the ring was plotting to kidnap athletes, foreign journalists and other visitors to the August Games. He added that police had also confiscated almost 22 pounds of explosives and eight sticks of dynamite and "jihadist" literature in the latest raids in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang.

It is certainly plausible that the Chinese have a terrorist problem, including an Islamic terror problem in connection with the Games. The problem is that the Chinese government isn't exactly forthcoming with evidence and their censorship of media outlets makes determining the true extent of the situation difficult at best.