Police warn of Olympic hijack threat

Hijackers may pose a potential threat to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Chinese police officers and civil aviation officials have warned.

New Delhi, Aug.21 : Hijackers may pose a potential threat to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Chinese police officers and civil aviation officials have warned.

Xinhua quoted Zhang Xinfeng, vice-minister of public security, as saying that "Some international terrorist organizations are increasing their infiltration into China and civil aviation planes could be the target of a terrorist attack."

Zhang, also a member of the State Leading Team for Dealing with Hijacking, said there have been about 600 terrorist attacks each year globally since 2004.

Wang Changshun, vice-minister of the General Administration of Civil Aviation, said the volume of air traffic at the country's main airports is expected to increase by 50 percent during the 2008 Olympic Games, as politicians, athletes, journalists and visitors flock to China.

"Our efforts to prevent hijacking, as part of the security for the Olympics, face a severe test," he was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

The officials made the remarks after an anti-hijacking and aviation emergency drill conducted on Sunday in Dalian, a port city in Northeast China's Liaoning Province.Over 600 soldiers, police, armed police; health workers and fire fighters took part in the drills, Xinhua said.

Xinhua said the authorities have put in place an anti-hijacking system. It includes several bodies tasked with dealing with hijacking at various levels and air police.

By law, hijackers in China could face the death sentence.

ANI