Post by gghsba on Jun 16, 2008 12:31:34 GMT -5
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Security concerns over a possible terrorist attack during the Beijing Olympics spread to Hong Kong on Monday, with a top immigration official warning the city's hosting of Olympics equestrian events could be targeted.
"Intelligence reports suggest to us that there are some people who will come to sabotage Olympics events including equestrian events," said Simon Peh, Hong Kong's director of immigration, in an interview to a select group of local media.
"Of course this kind of intelligence will continually change ... right now the main individuals who might sabotage the event are terrorists," Peh added, without giving any specifics on where these terrorists might come from or their affiliation.
The head of Interpol, Ronald Noble, said in April there was a "real possibility" that the Beijing Olympics would be targeted by terrorists, but this was the first time that specific intelligence had suggested a possible security threat involving Hong Kong.
The former British colony will have a fringe Olympics role this August, hosting equestrian events on behalf of Beijing after the capital city failed to set up a disease-free zone for horses.
Noble of Interpol has said that foreign militants would find it very difficult to operate in China and Chinese authorities were more concerned about a terrorist threat coming from inside than from outside the country.
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China has accused Uighur militants in the far western, mainly Muslim region of Xinjiang of plotting attacks with al Qaeda's support to help achieve their goal of establishing an independent country called East Turkistan.
The international leg of the Olympic torch relay has been dogged by pro-Tibet and anti-China protests, following unrest in Tibet last month in which China says about 20 people died.
Hong Kong too, saw protests during its May running of the torch with a handful of activists denied entry to the city and deported, and Peh said this might happen again in August.
Security has been an ever-present worry at the Olympic Games since 11 Israelis died in Munich in 1972 after Palestinian gunmen took them hostage and German authorities botched a rescue attempt.
Greece spent some $1.8 billion to protect the Athens Games in 2004, the first to be held after al Qaeda's 2001 attack on the United States.
"Intelligence reports suggest to us that there are some people who will come to sabotage Olympics events including equestrian events," said Simon Peh, Hong Kong's director of immigration, in an interview to a select group of local media.
"Of course this kind of intelligence will continually change ... right now the main individuals who might sabotage the event are terrorists," Peh added, without giving any specifics on where these terrorists might come from or their affiliation.
The head of Interpol, Ronald Noble, said in April there was a "real possibility" that the Beijing Olympics would be targeted by terrorists, but this was the first time that specific intelligence had suggested a possible security threat involving Hong Kong.
The former British colony will have a fringe Olympics role this August, hosting equestrian events on behalf of Beijing after the capital city failed to set up a disease-free zone for horses.
Noble of Interpol has said that foreign militants would find it very difficult to operate in China and Chinese authorities were more concerned about a terrorist threat coming from inside than from outside the country.
ADVERTISEMENT
China has accused Uighur militants in the far western, mainly Muslim region of Xinjiang of plotting attacks with al Qaeda's support to help achieve their goal of establishing an independent country called East Turkistan.
The international leg of the Olympic torch relay has been dogged by pro-Tibet and anti-China protests, following unrest in Tibet last month in which China says about 20 people died.
Hong Kong too, saw protests during its May running of the torch with a handful of activists denied entry to the city and deported, and Peh said this might happen again in August.
Security has been an ever-present worry at the Olympic Games since 11 Israelis died in Munich in 1972 after Palestinian gunmen took them hostage and German authorities botched a rescue attempt.
Greece spent some $1.8 billion to protect the Athens Games in 2004, the first to be held after al Qaeda's 2001 attack on the United States.
