Radical Islamic group seeking Xinjiang independence threatens China with more militant attacks

BEIJING – A radical Islamic group seeking independence for the northwestern Chinese region of Xinjiang has warned of possible new attacks in Beijing.

The purported head of Turkistan Islamic Party, Abdullah Mansour, praised an Oct. 28 attack at Tiananmen Gate that killed two tourists and the three attackers. Mansour called the attack a "jihadi operation." However, it wasn't clear whether he was claiming the group planned the attack.

Mansour said future attacks could target the Great Hall of the People, China's legislative seat. He spoke in an 8 minute, 11 second video posted on the Internet on Nov. 12 and picked up by the Washington-based SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist websites.

Some observers question whether the group is capable of organizing attacks and even whether it exists in an organized manner.