Terror ring busted in China's Xijiang province

Urumqi (Xijiang, China), Sep.17 (ANI): Chinese security forces said they have broken up a terrorist bomb-making operation in Xinjiang in Northwest China.

A China Daily report quoted security officials as saying that six alleged terrorists had been taken into custody during the pre-Aug 26 swoops.

They were hoping to ramp up violence and panic in the troubled region by carrying out suicide bombings and other outrages, police said Wednesday.

Investigators uncovered a large cache of bomb-making material when they conducted operations in Aksu, in the southern part of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, said a notice posted on the Ministry of Public Security website Wednesday.

Police believe the gang made more than 20 bombs that were hidden in three locations around Aksu in the aftermath of the July 5 riot in Urumqi.

The authorities say the group was preparing to carry out suicide bombings, motorbike explosions and detonate car bombs.

Police named two of the six people in custody as Seyitamut Obul and Tasin Mehmut.

The pair were described as the ringleaders of the cell. (ANI)