“Human rights groups say the Chinese authorities are using the fight against terrorism as a way of cracking down on the independence movement and suppressing religious freedom.” Maybe they are. After all, that the Chinese are utter scoundrels is no secret. But “independence movements” involving Islamic populations nowadays are all too susceptible to jihadist influence, and blend seamlessly with the Islamic supremacism that ultimately wants much more than just autonomy for any given region. From the BBC, with thanks to all who sent this in:
Chinese police have killed 18 people in a raid on an alleged militant training camp in the western autonomous region of Xinjiang, officials say.
One policeman was killed and another injured in the raid, which took place on Friday, a police spokesman said.
China is waging a campaign against what it calls separatist activities of Xinjiang’s Uighur Muslim minority….
Many Uighurs resent the large-scale influx into the region of Han Chinese settlers, and some groups are fighting to establish an independent Islamic nation, leading to periodic violence in the region.
Beijing accuses some groups of links to al-Qaeda, but human rights groups say the Chinese authorities are using the fight against terrorism as a way of cracking down on the independence movement and suppressing religious freedom.