Three Chinese restaurants were set on fire in apparently racist attacks in Perth, the capital of Western Australia, early Sunday morning, according to police.

About 55,000 Australian dollars (US$41,000) of damage was caused to the three restaurants at south suburban Yangebup, Willeton and Spearwood, with swastikas left at the scenes, the Australian Associated Press quoted police as saying.

The three attacks came within 90 minutes, with a window or door smashed and inflammable liquid thrown indoor for each case.

"(The attacks) appear to be linked," a police spokesman said.

On the Nazi swastikas left at the scenes, the spokesman said: " That's definitely concerning."

Attorney-General of Western Australia Jim McGinty described such arson attacks as "completely un-Australian and completely unacceptable."

Western Australia's Police Minister Michelle Roberts said she is appalled by the attacks.

The attacks are reminiscent of the firebombing a number of Chinese restaurants in the late 1980s by a neo-Nazi group which called itself the Australian Nationalists Movement.

(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2004)