China Monday released the names of four "Eastern Turkistan" organizations linked to al-Qaeda and 11 ethnic Uygurs wanted on terrorist charges.

This is the first time the country has issued a list of terrorist organizations and terrorists.

"The list was determined after careful and discreet identification and examination in accordance with relevant anti-terrorism resolutions by the United Nations, the Criminal Law, the State Security Law and other laws and regulations," said Zhao Yongchen, deputy director of the Anti-terrorism Department under the Ministry of Public Security.

Calling for tighter international co-operation in the fight against terrorism, Zhao said: "I strongly call on governments of all foreign countries, the law-enforcement organs in particular, to outlaw the four terrorist organizations that China has announced to the public, prohibit their activities, stop supporting, financing or providing safe havens to the organizations, and freeze their assets."

The organizations are the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, the Eastern Turkistan Liberation Organization, the World Uygur Youth Congress and the East Turkistan Information Centre.

He also called on overseas governments to carry out criminal investigations of the 11 terrorists, apprehend them and hand them over to China.

Since the September 11 incident, China has amended various counter-terrorism laws, developed and improved counter-terrorism co-ordination mechanisms, and adopted a series of measures to prevent acts of terror.

The measures include strengthening control of hazardous substances like explosives, tightening border controls, intensifying security measures at airports, ports and major infrastructures.

"We wish to carry out more co-operations in the future with neighbouring countries and countries where the Eastern Turkistan terrorist organizations go rampant," said Zhao.

He said the government would fight "East Turkistan" terrorism while effectively safeguarding the fundamental interests of people in Xinjiang and other parts of China.

Zhao stressed the government would target only core members of the terrorist groups who organized, led and participated in terrorist activities and those involved in serious violence.

The four terrorist organizations in the list were all confirmed to have plotted, organized and executed bombings, assassinations, arsons, poison attacks and other violent terrorist activities in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the rest of China and neighbouring countries since the 1990s.

The Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, for instance, was responsible for killings in December 1999 in Moyu County of Hotan Prefecture of Xinjiang.

It is also accused of committing a robbery and murder case in Urumqi on February 4 the same year, and other acts of terror. In total, the group has killed six innocent people and caused heavy property losses.

Having been identified by the UN as a terrorist organization, it was funded mainly by Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network and received training, support and personnel from both the al-Qaeda and the Taliban regime of Afghanistan.

The Eastern Turkistan Liberation Organization also received gift money from al-Qaeda and sent its new recruits, all youths from Xinjiang, to training camps in Afghanistan under Taliban support.

The organization was responsible for the murder of Chinese diplomat Wang Jianping in Kirghizstan in 2002.

Profiles of 11 identified terrorists

** Hasan Mahsum (also known as Ashan Sumut or Hasang Zunduluohe), male, of the Uygur ethnic group, was born in 1964. A native of Alaf Township in Shule (Kunixar) County, Kashi Prefecture of Xinjiang, he now heads the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement.

Mahsum gathered together a band of Xinjiang religious extremists to form the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, of which he served as chairman, after he fled abroad in 1997. His gang was responsible for a murder in Moyu County of Hotan on December 14, 1999, and robberies and murders cases on February 4 the same year in Urumqi. In total, six innocent people were killed.

** Muhanmetemin Hazret, male, of the Uygur ethnic group, was born in 1950. A native of Moyu County in Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang. He established the Eastern Turkistan Liberation Organization in 1996. He is behind a series of robberies and murders in Central Asian nations like Kazakhstan and Kirghizstan.

** Dolqun Isa, male, of the Uygur ethnic group, was born on September 2, 1967. A native of Aksu, Xinjiang, he is one of the key members of the Eastern Turkistan Liberation Organization and has been head of the World Uygur Youths Congress for many years. Since he fled abroad, he has organized and participated in all sorts of terrorist activities launched by the separatist group.

** Abudujelili Kalakash, male, of the Uygur ethnic group, and born in 1960, is a native of Moyu County in Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang, China. He heads the East Turkistan Information Centre terrorist organization and is a key member of the World Uygur Youths Congress. In April 1999, Kalakash and other die-hard terrorists decided to carry out terrorist activities in Africa, and planned a series of bomb attacks against Chinese embassies there.

** Abudukadir Yapuquan (original name Yabudukader Emit), male, of the Uygur ethnic group, was born in 1958. He is native of Uapqan Township, Shufu County, Kashi Prefecture. He is responsible for organizing and carrying out a series of robberies and murders such as the December 14 case in Moyu County of Hotan Prefecture in 1999 and the February 4 case in Urumqi, which resulted in deaths and injuries of innocent people.

** Abudumijit Muhamma-tkelim (also known as Zibibulla), male, of the Uygur ethnic group, was born in 1967. A native of Shufu County of Kashi, he is one of the chiefs of the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement mainly responsible for personnel training and exterior liaison duties.

** Abudula Kariaji (formerly named Abudulla Dawut), male, of the Uygur ethnic group, was born in December 1969. A native of Shache County of Kashi, he is a key member of the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement. Kariaji fled to Afghanistan in 1995.

** Abulimit Turxun, male, of the Uygur ethnic group, was born in 1964. A native of Urumqi, he is a key member of the Eastern Turkistan Liberation Organization. He fled abroad in 1997. In early May 1998, he sent terrorists into China who made more than 40 chemical combustible devices and used them in 15 consecutive attacks on big stores and wholesale markets in Urumqi, on May 23. In June 1998, he killed four Uygurs and dismembered their bodies, to prevent possible information leaks by two members who intended to quit the terrorist group.

** Hudaberdi Haxerbik, male, of the Uygur ethnic group, was born in August 1970. A native of the Hui Autonomous Township of Yuqunweng in Yining County, Xinjiang, he is a key member of the Eastern Turkistan Liberation Organization. On April 6, 1998, Hudaberdi Haxerbik smuggled large quantities of arms and ammunition into China.

** Yasen Muhammat, alias Yasen Kari, male, of the Uygur ethnic group, was born in 1964. He is a native of Boskem Town, Zepu County of Xinjiang. On August 23, 1999, Muhammat and four other terrorists shot dead police officer Hudaberd and his son Aiez in Boskem Township of Zepu County. On October 24, 1999, he and other accomplices shot dead security assistant Altawula, injured police officer Wang Yazhou and security assistant Muhmed Yizemu, and killed Mehmut Yidelis, a suspected thief who was detained at the station.

** Atahan Abuduhani, male, of the Uygur ethnic group, was born in 1964. A native of Luoke Town, Yecheng County of Xinjiang, he fled abroad in December 1984, and kept close contact with "Eastern Turkistan" organizations outside China. In August 1991, Atahan Abuduhani smuggled 7 handguns and 180 bullets into China, with which his accomplices robbed a security van belonging to the Shayar County branch of the Agricultural Bank of China in Xinjiang on November 13 that year.

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