Aug 02, 2006

East Turkestan: China Urges Albania to Hand Over Five Uyghurs


Beijing had once again urged Tirana to extradite the five Chinese Muslims (Uyghurs) suspected of terrorism in China
Media in Tirana say Chinese Foreign Ministry urged Albania last weekend to hand over the five East Turkistan terrorist suspects rather than give them political asylum.

There has been no official response from Tirana so far, however, Albania media say the country undergoes a big diplomatic rift, which could severe the relations between Albania and China.

Tirana announced that the five Uyghurs had been issued asylum two weeks ago, and now they are treated as political refugees.

The five men, from the largely Muslim Uighur minority that dominates China's far western Xinjiang region, were released from U.S. military detention few months ago and sent to Albania, where they have asked to be treated as refugees.

Official Beijing qualified those men as suspected East Turkistan terrorists now harboring in Albania and requested their extradition.