Bus Hijacker In China Shot By Police

BEIJING — A hijacker who strapped explosives to himself and took a bus of foreign tourists hostage was shot dead by police in China yesterday in an incident that will raise concerns about security for this summer's Olympics.

The bus, which had 10 Australian tourists and a Chinese translator on board, was in the historic city of Xi'an, home to the Terracotta Warriors, when the hijacker took it over. He demanded "negotiations" and a stand-off ensued for several hours, before he was shot dead. The police did not immediately disclose his demands or grievances, but it is unusual for ordinary criminals to target foreigners in China.

If he was seeking to use tourists to win publicity for his cause, it will reinforce the determination within the Chinese authorities to keep Beijing "locked down" during the Games to prevent their critics and enemies exploiting the presence of so many foreigners. The tourists were all travel agents on a tour organized by the government-run China International Travel Service. The attacker, Xia Tao, said he would blow up the city center if the police did not negotiate with him.