The hostages were released and unharmedPosted on 03/05/2008 11:26:42 AM PST by BGHater
A hijacker who strapped explosives to himself and took a bus of foreign tourists hostage has been shot dead by police in an incident that will raise concerns over security for this summer's Olympics.
The bus, which had 10 Australian tourists and a Chinese translator on board, was in the historic city of Xi'an, home to the Terracotta Warriors, when the hijacker took it over.
He demanded "negotiations" and a stand-off ensued for several hours before he was shot dead.
The police did not immediately disclose his demands or grievances, but it is unusual for ordinary criminals to target foreigners in China.
If he was seeking to use tourists to win publicity for his cause, it will reinforce the determination within the Chinese authorities to keep Beijing "locked down" during the Games to prevent their critics and enemies exploiting the presence of so many foreigners.
The tourists were all travel agents on a tour organised by the government-run China International Travel Service.
The attacker, Xia Tao, said he would blow up the city centre if the police did not negotiate with him.
He then demanded another vehicle and passage to the airport so that people in the city centre would not be put at risk before releasing all the hostages except for a 48-year-old woman and the translator.
According to one account, they were exchanged for a local police chief.
Police marksmen shot the hijacker dead as he arrived at the toll gate on the airport express road.
Chinese state media said that negotiations had been "unsuccessful".
The tourists and the translator were said to be unharmed, but the attack raises the possibility that foreigners could be targeted in the summer.
The government has insisted on security as a first priority for the Games.
They say their first concern is terrorism and have announced this month an exclusion zone around the airport to prevent aircraft being shot down.
Ronald Noble, the secretary general of Interpol, has also said the Olympics are a "prime theoretical target for al-Qa'eda and other terrorist groups".
Gordon Brown and President George W Bush are among world leaders planning to attend the event in August.
The hostages were released and unharmed
This guy hijacked dead tourist buses?
Wow man, a dead tour bus............... man.
Why shoot him when he was already dead?
They did! Bruce Willis style! Ala, The Fifth Element.....Anybody else wanna negotiate?!?!?!..........;^)
You guys beat me to it. Bad headline.
Guess we can learn from the Red Chinese too.
Chinese state media said that negotiations had been “unsuccessful”
I disagree. Your terrorist “negotiations” were a smashing success.
saved the cost of a trial; there would have been 1 of 2 outcomes with the Chinese: shooting or lethal injection
—He demanded “negotiations” and a stand-off ensued for several hours before he was shot dead.—
Hopefully the authorities had time to harvest his organs.
No kidding. They were stalling to get the medical facilities ready for the harvest.
Hats off to the shooter.
Well done.
Their SAWAT does not have a Hooters to hang out at?
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