China's Ministry of Public Security Monday issued the criteria for identifying terrorists and terrorist groups after publishing a name list of four identified "East Turkistan" terrorist organizations and 11 members of the groups.

Zhao Yongchen, vice-chief of the ministry's Counter-Terrorism Bureau, disclosed the criteria for identifying a terrorist or a terrorist organization.

The criteria for identifying a terrorist organization are as follows:

(I) an organization or organizations that engage in terrorist activities endangering national security or social stability, and harm the life and property through violence and terror (regardless of whether it is based in or outside of China);

(II) some form of division for organization and leadership work, or system of division;

(III) meeting the aforementioned criteria and having involved in any of the following activities:

(a) Organizing, masterminding, instigating, staging or taking part in terrorist activities; (b) offering funding assistance or support for terrorist activities; (c) having a base or bases for terrorist activities, or recruiting and training terrorists in an organized way; (d) collaborating with other international terrorist organizations, accepting funding, training of other international terrorist groups, or taking part in their activities.

The criteria for a terrorist are as follows:

(I) having contact with a terrorist organization and engaging in terrorist activities at home or abroad that endanger national security and life and property of people (regardless of whether or not the terrorist has been naturalized as a citizen of another nation);

(II) meeting the aforementioned criteria and being involved in any of the following activities:

(a) organizing, heading or taking part in a terrorist organization; (b) organizing, plotting, instigating and inciting terrorist activities; (c) providing funding and assistance for terrorist organizations or terrorists for terrorist activities; (d)accepting funding support or training from aforementioned organizations and other international organizations or pitching in their activities.

The four identified "East Turkistan" terrorist organizations are the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the East Turkistan Liberation Organization (ETLO), the World Uygur Youth Congress (WUYC) and the East Turkistan Information Center (ETIC).

The 11 identified "Eastern Turkistan" terrorists are: Hasan Mahsum, Muhanmetemin Hazret, Dolqun Isa, Abudujelili Kalakash, Abudukadir Yapuquan, Abudumijit Muhammatkelim, Abudula Kariaji, Abulimit Turxun, Huadaberdi Haxerbik, Yasen Muhammat, and Atahan Abuduhani.

All those terrorist groups were founded outside China and have plotted, organized and staged terrorist activities and violence, including bombings, assassinations, arson, poisonings, attacks in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and other areas, and some other countries.

(Xinhua News Agency December 15, 2003)