US embassy withdraws terror warning
By Cao Zhe (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-11-11 05:47

China yesterday denied that Islamic extremists plan to attack luxury hotels in Beijing, describing such reports as "false news."

"It is sheer fabrication," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told a regular news briefing.

The reports about the possible attacks were based on a warning message posted on the website of the US Embassy in Beijing on Wednesday.

"The embassy has learned that Chinese police advised hotels that Islamic extremist elements could be planning to attack four- and five-star hotels in China sometime over the course of the next week," said the message, which has since been retracted.

US President George W. Bush is scheduled to pay an official visit to Beijing on November 19.

The public security departments of China have not issued such a warning to luxury hotels, Liu said, adding it is safe to stay in such hotels in China.

None of the three Beijing luxury hotels contacted by China Daily yesterday said it had received security warnings from police.

(China Daily 11/11/2005 page1)