An Olympic security official says China’s military is capable of thwarting any terrorist attempt during the Games.
Tian Yixiang, Director Security Command CTR. for the Games, said, “China’s security forces, including the police, armed forces and the military, have adopted comprehensive measures to be prepared and have carried out drills many times to cope with all possible threats. China’s security forces are confident and capable of ensuring a secure Olympic Games. ”
Tian noted the main security threats come from the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, separatist forces for Tibet independence, the Falungong, and overseas anti-China forces.
He added that more than 34,000 military personnel with 74 planes, 47 helicopters and 33 naval ships have been deployed to ensure security. Ground-to-air missiles, radars and anti-chemical equipment are also ready.

from: cctv.com

The track stars have their Bird’s Nest; the cyclists their velodrome; and the swimmers their Water Cube. Now the protesters who are certain to appear at the Beijing Olympics have their corners, too. On Wednesday, the security director for the Beijing Olympics announced that three sites in city parks will be set aside for demonstrations during the Games.
Just how the demonstration zones will work remains unclear. Chinese citizens have a legal right to protest, but they must first apply for permission from their local Public Security Bureau. Such requests are rarely granted, and most demonstrations in China don’t have official sanction. The zones were met with skepticism from human rights advocates. Nicholas Bequelin, a researcher with the NGO Human Rights Watch called it “a protest pen” meant to segregate demonstrators. “It’s a system that has been set in place to deflect criticism about the lack of freedom to protest, the lack of freedom of assembly and demonstration in China,” he says.

Protest zones have been imposed in other cities during international events. Beijing set up a similar site during the World Conference on Women in 1995. That zone was in the Great Wall resort town of Huairou, 15 miles away from where the conference was being held. The Olympic protest zones — in Ritan Park near the city’s eastern embassy district; the Beijing World Park, which has replicas of the Eiffel Tower and Egypt’s pyramids; and the Zizhu Park near the northwestern university district — are within the city, but far enough from the Olympic venues that they’re easy for spectators to avoid.

While the rules of the protest zones have not yet been spelled out, it seems likely that demonstrators will have to register. That makes it unlikely that rallies for sensitive causes like Tibetan autonomy or the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement will be approved. “In the scenario where there is still a need to obtain prior approval it’s pretty clear that nobody will get a permit if they demonstrate for things that China considers criminal,” says Bequelin.

How Beijing authorities would handle protest has been a big question ahead of the Games. Last August, when the city marked one year before the Games, a few groups held protests. Reporters Without Borders rallied outside the offices of the Beijing Olympics organizing committee with posters of the Olympic rings as handcuffs to protest the jailing of journalists. Students for a Free Tibet unfurled a banner on the Great Wall outside the city. The police response to both was seen as clumsy and heavy-handed, a sign that for all Beijing’s infrastructure preparation, Chinese authorities are still uneasy with demonstrations and ill equipped to handle them under an intense media spotlight.

Since then the pressure has only increased. Aggressive protests by critics of Beijing during the Olympic torch run touched off a nationalist storm in China. That sentiment cooled some after the May 12 Sichuan earthquake, when patriotic ardor was directed at helping the millions left homeless. But demonstrations during the Games could reignite it, says Victor Cha, director of Asian Studies at Georgetown University and author of the forthcoming book, Beyond the Final Score: The Politics of Sport in Asia. “Protests by foreigners would infuriate the Chinese and only fuel their reactive nationalist view that the West is trying to ruin China’s moment in the sun,” he says.

But overseas activists are likely to try regardless. Canadian Lhadon Tethong, executive director of Student for a Free Tibet, was arrested last August as she tried to make her way to a countdown event in Tiananmen Square. Tethong, who had been blogging in China about the status of Tibetans, was expelled from the country along with six foreign activists who hung a banner that read, “One World, One Dream; Free Tibet 2008″ on the Great Wall. She says Tibetan activists will try again to conduct public protests during the Games. “For us it’s a historic moment,” she says. “It’s an opportunity to raise the Tibetan crisis of human rights and freedom and to bring it to the international community and the Chinese leadership.”

In his announcement Liu Shaowu, the Games’ security director, reiterated that the International Olympic Committee’s charter states that “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda” is permitted on Olympic grounds. The Beijing organizers may still be faced with athletes who want to raise issues. Joey Cheek, a gold medalist in speed skating in 2006 who is now active in the campaign to end the bloodshed in Darfur, says Olympians can raise political issues during the Games and still act within the rules. Cheek co-founded Team Darfur, a group of athletes that work to raise awareness about the war-torn region of Sudan. The NGO has 46 members who will be completing in Beijing, and some who may call for China to lobby its ally Sudan to bring peace to Darfur. Cheek says he believes the Games are “a force for good,” but the hosts have to be able to accept criticism as well as praise. “They’ve made statements about what a great way for the advancement of human rights, that it would open China to the world, and it would open up more freedoms to its people,” he says. “You made that commitment, and you have to live up to it.”

For those without an Olympic berth, just making it to Beijing could prove trying. Jean-Francois Julliard, deputy director of Reporters Without Borders, a Paris-based press freedom group that was active in protesting during the international torch relay, says its members had their latest visa applications for China rejected. “They want the Olympic Games to be a big success without any demonstrations or any critical activities,” he says. If protesters can’t even make it into the country, then Beijing may find its protest zones blissfully complaint free.

source: time.com

People who provide police with evidence of a “major security threat” to the Beijing Olympics could receive a reward of up to 500,000 yuan ($73,000), Beijing media reported on Friday.

The tip-off must include accurate and detailed information about a planned terrorist attack, possible sabotage by an illegal organization, such as the Falun Gong, murder of Olympic-related personnel or foreigners, or some other major crimes, a notice jointly issued by the city’s police bureau and public security comprehensive management committee said.
The notice said the rewards would range upwards from 10,000 yuan and be determined by the value of the tip-off. The offer will be in place from July 10 to Oct 31.

The rewards are designed to “mobilize the masses to maintain public security, as well as to eliminate hidden dangers to the Games“, the notice said.

The payout scheme is the city’s latest move to ensure a safe Games. In Beijing, police rewards for major tip-offs are usually below 10,000 yuan, with a maximum of 100,000 yuan for information regarding serious crimes.

The Ministry of Public Security and Interpol have both warned of the “real threat” of terrorism during the Olympics.

On Wednesday, police in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, said they cracked five terrorism groups in the first half of this year, and had detained 82 suspected terrorists who had allegedly been plotting to sabotage the Beijing Games.

In April, the public security ministry also reported several failed terrorist plots to disrupt the Games, including poison gas and bomb attacks on hotels and government offices in Beijing and other cities, and kidnapping foreign athletes and spectators.

Sources also said they had received public reports on suspicious explosives and guns in apartments near the Olympic Village, but would not elaborate.

To prevent possible attacks, authorities in the capital have instituted a raft of security measures.

A strong anti-terrorism force is in place, surface-to-air missiles have been deployed around key venues and security checks are being conducted in subways.

Starting next week, security staff will also be deployed at hundreds of checkpoints on roads into the city. All passengers and vehicles with licenses registered outside Beijing will be subject to security checks.

from: chinadaily.com.cn

The Tibet Autonomous Regional Government was confident to have a safe and successful Olympic torch relay on Saturday, said Palma Trily, executive vice chairman of Tibet, here on Friday.
He made the remarks while meeting a 50-strong delegation of journalists, including staff from 29 overseas news organizations.

“We believe activities against the people’s will and against the historical trend doom to fail,” said the official when he was asked whether the Dalai Lama clique would sabotage the torch relay.

He said police have been deployed to ensure security during the relay, but there was none from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), as “the duty of the PLA is to guard the frontier and protect the territory.”

He said sabotage activities would exist as long as the clique existed, even after the torch relay concluded in Tibet.

Five organization including “Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC)”, “Tibetan Women’s Association (TWA)” had threatened to sabotage the torch relay.

Also at the press conference, Dekyi Drolkar, director of Tibet’s sports bureau, said the Olympic torch relay in Tibet would have 156 torch bearers including 75 Tibetans. The Lhasa leg would start from Norbu Lingka Square and end in Potala Palace, covering 9.3 kilometers.

The Beijing Organizing Committee of the Games of the 29th Olympiad (BOCOG) announced the torch relay schedule in Tibet was cut to one day on June 21 from the original three days of June 19 to 21.

In the one-day Lhasa leg, the flame kindled on the top of Mount Qomolangma on May 8 will join the main torch, which would be the first time in the history of Olympic Games.

Tibet has released 1,157 people involved in the March Lhasa riot, who were charged with minor offences, said Palma Trily. Police detained and arrested 953 people after the riot, while 362 others surrendered to police, he said.

The Tibet courts handed down punishments to 12 people on Thursday and Friday and 30 on April 29, convicting them of arson, robbery, the crime of gathering to assault state organs, and other crimes. Another 116 in custody were awaiting trial.

The punishments for 29 of the convicts have gone effective.

Defendants from minority ethnic groups were provided with interpreters at court sessions, which ensured their rights, Palma Trily said.

He said judicial authorities followed the policy of combining punishment with leniency in handling the cases, which means leniency for those with minor offences.

The riot, which was believed to have been organized, premeditated and masterminded by the backers of the Dalai Lama, erupted in downtown Lhasa on March 14, leaving seven schools, five hospitals and 120 homes torched and 908 shops looted. Total damage was more than 244 million yuan.

The riot also left 18 innocent civilians and one police officer dead, and 382 civilians and 241 policemen were injured.

China’s quality supervisory agency said Thursday that security inspections of special equipment for the Beijing Olympics would be finished by June 30.
An official with the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said the authorities would inspect and test each item to find and solve any hidden problems and make emergency plans.
The items include boilers, pressure containers and pipelines, elevators, cranes, passenger ropeways and other large pieces of equipment and machinery to be used in or near the game venues.
He said inspectors would keep close watch over all these items before and during the games.
The inspection process was going smoothly in the Olympic venues in Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang, Qingdao and Qinhuangdao. Local quality inspection authorities had organized emergency and rescue drills at venues in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province.
With the approach of the long-awaited event, Chinese authorities have geared up to intensify security preparations.
Passengers riding the Beijing subway and major bus routes will undergo strict security checks starting at the end of June ahead of the Olympics, Beijing police said earlier this month.
“Security is a top priority of the Beijing Olympics. It guarantees a successful Olympic Games and has a great deal to do with social stability and the national image,” said Zhou Yongkang,a member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Political Bureau on Sunday.
Zhou also urged intensified anti-terrorist efforts before and during the Games.
Beijing now has a 150,000-strong security guard contingent plus 290,000 volunteers doing patrols.
During the event, security guards who are directly assigned to the Games would number at least 80,000, according to Ma Zhenchuan, director of the Olympic security command.

from: xinhuanet.com

An anti-terrorist special team consisting of engineers and experts will shoulder the security work for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, according to the General Staff Headquarters of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The team from the PLA’s engineering troop will be responsible for security checks, emergency rescues and anti-terrorist technology applications during the August Olympiad.
In addition, 10 engineering experts in anti-terrorist technology have been selected to provide technical support and information for the security troops during the Games.
Olympic security has been the focus of the Chinese army’s daily drills. Among them are activities preventing guns and explosives from nearing important targets, searching for and defusing explosives, rescuing victims stranded in damaged buildings and leading emergency evacuations, among others.

from: xinhuanet.com

Health professionals in Beijing are being trained to deal with the aftermath of terrorist attacks, the municipal health bureau said yesterday.
Some 130,000 medics are taking part in the scheme to ready them for possible incidents during the Olympics and Paralympics, the bureau said on its website.
The training began on Monday and will run for a month.
“It is very important that we are able to maintain social stability,” Jin Dapeng, the bureau’s Party secretary, was quoted on the website as saying last week at the launch of the initiative.
“It is our mission to react to any terrorist attack during the Games to ensure public security.
“Therefore, we must carry out the training with earnestness and efficiency to raise awareness of possible threats and boost out capability to deal with emergencies”, he said.
Medics will be taught about nuclear, biological and chemical attacks, response and rescue procedures, and treatment, the bureau said.
Their instructors are all experts from the Academy of Military Medical Science.
About 4,000 trainees from the emergency services are being trained in response and rescue work, while medics, including those at the 22 hospitals that will serve athletes and officials, are being given training on how to treat the victims of attack.
Jin said health organizations should also be on high alert to the possibility of terrorist groups attempting to steal potentially deadly chemicals, drugs or other toxic materials.
The central government said last month that more than 10,000 security personnel will be deployed in Beijing during the Olympics.
Interpol has also warned of the threat of possible attacks by groups such as al-Qaeda during the Games.

from: chinadaily.com.cn

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said on Thursday China hoped “relevant country” would understand and aid the work of the Beijing Olympic torch escort.
Jiang made the remarks when asked to comment on Japan’s refusal of the torch escort from China in the relay in Nagano, on April 26.
She told a press conference that the convention of arranging the escort in the relay has been approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
She said the escorts, all volunteers, protected the torch with their bodies from the seizure by “Tibetan independence” supporters.
“This kind of spirit should be praised and understood, while the mob which disrupts should receive universal condemnation,” she said, adding China hoped “relevant country” would have a clear understanding of the task and provide active coordination and assistance for the relay.
Jiang praised the torch relay in Pakistan, saying China noticed that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have both attended the ceremonies of the torch relay which was a great success in Islamabad.
“Through the relay, we have seen the colorful culture of Pakistan and the great enthusiasm of the Pakistani people toward the Olympics,” said Jiang.
On the torch relay in India, scheduled for Thursday, Jiang said the Indian people hoped to use the opportunity to show India’s ancient culture and modern development achievements, and China believed the Indian government would take effective measures to ensure a smooth and safe torch relay in New Delhi.

from: xinhuanet.com

Tibetan sports authorities have pledged to take security measures to protect the Beijing Olympic Games torch relay against sabotage by supporters of the Dalai clique.

The leading team of the relay will closely work with relevant departments to ensure security and prevent disturbances and sabotage, according to a report published in the Tibet Daily on Monday.
Under the guidance of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), the leading team, comprised of seven working departments, worked out the route and agenda for the relay, selected torchbearers and improved working procedures, an unidentified sports official of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China’s remote southwest told the newspaper.

Preparation for the relay in Tibet and taking the Olympic flame to the summit of Mount Qomolangma (Everest) is proceeding in an orderly way, the report said.

After the Olympic flame-lighting ceremony, which is scheduled to be held later on Monday in Greece, the flame will traverse Greece for six days before it is handed over to BOCOG on March 30 in Athens.

The global tour of the Olympic flame will begin on April 1, covering 137,000 kilometers across 135 cities in 130 days before the torch arrives at the National Stadium in Beijing on August 8 for the opening ceremony.

The highlight of the relay, which involves 21,780 torchbearers, will be an attempt to take the flame to the summit of Mount Qomolangma in May.

However, the unrest in Lhasa, believed to have been organized and masterminded by the Dalai Lama clique, has raised concern over the security of the torch relay.

from: chinadaily.com.cn 

Guns, drugs, explosives, and poisonous and radioactive materials will be banned from Beijing’s Olympic venues, a security official said Thursday.
Animals, drinks, radio equipment, and banners and oversized flags will also be prohibited, but guide dogs and small flags on poles shorter than 1m will be allowed, Zhu Yijun, from the Beijing Olympic security command center, said at a press conference to announce the new security regulation.
Drinks are banned to remove the risk of spectators throwing containers, while radio equipment makes the no-go list as it may disturb TV broadcasts and the operation of security equipment, he said.
Banners and oversized flags are not allowed because they could block people’s view of events, Zhu said, adding that the Olympic Charter already bans any form of political, religious or racial propaganda at venues.
Liu Shaowu, director of the security division of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, said the rules are in line with those introduced at previous Olympics, with some elements being specific to the Beijing Games.
He said the eight-chapter regulation, which will be published in full soon, also stipulates that venues must be equipped with at least one X-ray machine, two walk-through metal detectors, one vehicle security check channel and a system to automatically check vehicle chassis. Special security check channels will be set up for the disabled.
“All people and vehicles will have to go through security checks before entering venues,” Liu said.
“If everything is okay, a person can pass through a standard security check in about five seconds. But that might be longer for media workers if they are carrying a lot of equipment.”
Liu also urged spectators to leave their bags at home.
“The venues will provide all kinds of services. There’s no need for people to bring too many things.”
Liu said he was confident the Games will be safe.
The security operation in Beijing will directly involve about 80,000 people, including police, professional security guards and volunteers, he said.
“The number will be adjusted according to specific circumstances.”
Security became a focus for media attention following a foiled attempt on March 7 to crash a passenger jet flying from Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, to Beijing.
Former Public Security Minister Zhou Yongkang said late last year that although the general security situation for the Beijing Olympics is stable, the challenges of “terrorism, separatism and extremism” remain. “The Olympic Games is a big target for terrorism,” Zhou said.
International anti-terrorism experts have said China should learn from other countries and proposed information exchange within the international community.
“The large number of athletes and visitors to the Beijing Games and billions of people watching TV will make the event a prime target for terrorists,” Boaz Ganor, founder of the Israel-based International Institute for Counter-Terrorism, said in an interview. “Their desire to harm us and their threat against us remain real.”

from: chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-03/21/content_6554347.htm