Algeria/China - Al-Qaeda

Beijing issues alert over Al-Qaeda threat

Article published on the 2009-07-15 Latest update 2009-07-15 13:09 TU

An ethnic Uighur man walks in front of Chinese paramilitary police in Urumqi
(Photo:Reuters)

China has warned its citizens in Algeria that they are in danger from attacks by Al-Qaeda after an affiliate of the terror group is reported to have vowed to avenge Muslim deaths in China.

The warning came after London-based risk analysis firm Stirling Assynt reported that an Al-Qaeda affiliate, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqim), had vowed to targeting Chinese workers in north Africa  to avenge the deaths of Muslim Uighurs in recent unrest in China.

The Chinese embassy in Algeria urged increased safety precautions and security measures in a statement on its website.

Muslim countries have protested at Beijing's handling of the unrest in Xinjiang province, which followed the killed of ethnic Uighur workers in a factory in Guangdong province. And there were anti-Chinese protests in Indonesia on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Rebiya Kadeer, the head of the World Uighur Congress, condemned Al-Qaeda’s threats.

Kadeer said she opposed the use of violence in her campaign to bring greater rights for the Uighur minority in China.

“Global terrorists should not take advantage of the Uighur people’s legitimate aspirations and the current tragedy in Turkestan [Xinjiang] to commit acts of terrorism targeting Chinese diplomatic missions or civilians,” she said.

China has blamed Kadeer for inciting the violence in Xinjiang.  

Kadeer denies the charges and US lawmakers have come to her defence, demanding China stop its “slander” of the 62-year-old mother of 11.