MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police is beefing up security measures at the Chinese embassy to avert a possible terrorist attack sparked by the ethnic unrest in Xinjiang, China.
In a memorandum dated July 14, Directorate for Operations head Director Andres Caro ordered police officials in Metro Manila, the Ilocos region and Central Visayas, to intensify police visibility and target-hardening measures on the Chinese embassy and consulates in their respective jurisdictions.
“Local terrorists associated with these Chinese terrorists/supporters are planning to initiate attacks against the Chinese embassies stationed in various countries. Some Chinese embassies in Europe reportedly have been attacked already,” the memorandum read.
According to the memorandum, the riots in Xinjiang last July 5 were organized by groups linked to the al-Qaeda terror network.
The riots left 156 dead and at least 1,000 persons injured in the capital of the Muslim Xinjiang region. At least 1,400 persons have been detained by police in the wake of the riots.
Almost half of Xinjiang’s 20 million people are Uighurs, while the population of Urumqi, the region’s capital, is mostly Han Chinese.
Chinese officials have blamed the unrest on separatist groups abroad seeking to create an independent homeland for the Muslim Uighur minority. – Mike Frialde