Bomb Breakthrough
According to reports by Reuters and AFP, a Uighur separatist group called the Turkestan Islamic Party has claimed responsibility for Monday's bus bombings in Kunming as well as a series of other terrorist attacks throughout the country. The group's leader, Commander Seyfullah, said:
Our aim is to target the most critical points related to the Olympics. We will try to attack Chinese central cities severely using the tactics that have never been employed.
Well sorry, Seyfullah, but bus bombings are a well-worn terrorist tactic- ask anyone in Israel. And fix your grammar.
More seriously, the Uighurs have often been unfairly blamed for many of China's ills, and tampering with the nation's sacred cow- the Olympics- will only increase the odds of a ruthless reprisal. This group, however, has placed its grievances under the umbrella of global jihad rather than traditional Uighur nationalism. It is difficult to say which claim is ultimately more futile.
UPDATE: A new Reuters report tells us that the Chinese government is now denying that the Turkestan Islamic Party was behind the attacks, despite their recent video claim. For more information, GoKunming and The China Digital Times are on the story.
Why would a group claim responsibility for an attack it didn't commit? The only plausible consequence that I foresee are additional troubles for China's Uighurs.
