Chinese police say 5 arrested in Tiananmen Gate attack, call it an act of terrorism

Two passengers on a bus talk about the suicide car crash near Tiananmen Gate as the bus drives past the spot where, on Monday, a sport utility vehicle crashed and caught fire, in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013. Chinese police are circulating a list of eight suspects wanted in connection with the apparent suicide car crash near Tiananmen Square in Beijing that killed five people and injured dozens, a hotel manager said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan) (The Associated Press)

Paramilitary policemen, back, guard a street as people wait at a bus stop near Tiananmen Gate, where a sport utility vehicle veered into a crowd and then crashed and caught fire, in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013. Chinese police are circulating a list of eight suspects wanted in connection with the apparent suicide car crash near Tiananmen Square in Beijing that killed five people and injured dozens, a hotel manager said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan) (The Associated Press)

Two policewomen, right, a traffic police, in yellow vest, and members of a SWAT team guard a street corner, where, on Monday, a sport utility vehicle veered into a crowd near Tiananmen Gate, where the car crashed and caught fire, in Beijing, China, Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2013. Chinese police are circulating a list of eight suspects wanted in connection with the apparent suicide car crash near Tiananmen Square in Beijing that killed five people and injured dozens, a hotel manager said Wednesday. (AP Photo/Alexander F. Yuan) (AP)

Chinese police say five people have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in a suicide car attack near Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

A statement on the Beijing police microblog said the perpetrators of Monday's attack were also identified, and labeled it a carefully planned terrorist attack.

All three died when their vehicle exploded. Two tourists, including a Filipino woman were hit by the speeding vehicle, were also killed.

Police said knives, iron rods, gasoline and a flag imprinted with religious slogans were found in the vehicle.

The three attackers, including one woman, and the five arrested all had names identifying them as members of the Turkic Muslim Uighur ethnic group native to the restive northwestern region of Xinjiang where extremists have been battling security forces for years.