16 die in Kashgar terror strike

Sixteen policemen were killed when two terrorists threw home-made explosives at the officers in Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, around 8 am yesterday.

Local security bureau officials said the group of 70 policemen were jogging during a regular morning drill in front of Yiquan Hotel, about 100 m from the border, when they were attacked.

The attack in China's westernmost city, which is close to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, comes just four days before the start of the Beijing Olympic Games, prompting security forces across the country to raise the level of alert.

Xinhua News Agency said the terrorists, identified as two Uygur men aged 28 and 33, stabbed the injured policemen with knives,also. Fourteen policemen died at the scene and two on their way to hospital.

No civilians were killed or injured and the two attackers have been arrested.

Police said an arm of one of the attackers was blown off when he ignited a home-made explosive.

Police found 10 home-made explosive devices, a home-made hand gun and four knives in the vehicle.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said in Beijing that the Chinese authorities were doing all they could to make the Games safe.

Investigators in Kashgar, an important city on the old Silk Road, later found debris of five explosives on the border police division compound.

People in Kashgar follow the "local time", which is two hours behind Beijing time, in their day-to-day dealings. So many guests at the Yiquan Hotel were still asleep and awakened by the deafening sound of the explosions.

The regional public security bureau said it had got information that the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) was planning attacks between Aug 1 and 8 in a bid to disrupt the Beijing Games.

The Ministry of Public Security yesterday said a probe had started into the attack.

The country's defense and police commanders, including Ma Zhenchuan, chief of the Beijing public security bureau, have warned that the ETIM posed a threat to the Games because investigations show it has planned attacks on Olympic venues.

Asked about his reaction to the attack, a Beijing Olympic organizing committee (BOCOG) official said he was confident of holding a safe Games with the support of the Chinese government and the international community.

"An effective command system has been set up, and we have strengthened cooperation in security work, including information exchange and anti-terrorism fights, with other countries," Sun Weide, a BOCOG media official, said.

"We have beefed up security in all Olympic venues and the Olympic Village. We are well-prepared to deal with any eventuality."
Questions:

1. How many police officers died at the scene of the attack?

2. The time in Kashgar is how many hours behind Beijing time?

3. What was blown off one of the terrorist bombers?

Answers:

1. 14.

2. Two.

3. His arm.