Kunming Railway station attack China's "9-11": Chinese media

BEIJING: Terming the "slaughter of civilians" at the Kunming Railway station by militants from the volatile Xinjiang province as China's " 9-11", the official media and lawmakers today demanded an iron-fisted crackdown on terrorism.

Nothing justifies civilian slaughter in China's "9-11", state-run Xinhua news agency said in a commentary on last night's dreadful attack that left at least 33 people dead and 130 injured in Kunming railway station, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.

"China was outraged and the world shocked after separatists from Xinjiang knifed down innocent civilians at a crowded train terminal in Kunming Saturday night", it said.

"It was a typical terrorist attack and also a severe crime against the humanity. It was China's "9-11", it said.

Calling for stern measures, China's legislators have expressed their support for an iron-fisted crackdown on terrorism.

"We should launch a nationwide campaign against such terrorist activities and resolutely fight the terrorists," said Yin Zhuo, Director of the Expert Consultation Committee of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.

"The well-planned attack was not an issue of ethnics or religion, it was an issue of terrorism with links to the terrorist forces out of the country," said Yin, who is also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Chen Shu, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC), the country' legislature, urged a "quick and harsh crackdown on the terrorist activists."

"The attack against innocent civilians was a crime against the humanity," said Chen, who is also the honorary chairman of the Lawyers' Association of Guangzhou City in south China's Guangdong Province.

"All countries should join hands to fight terrorist activities like this one.

"Muhanmetemin Yasin, a member of the NPC Standing Committee, said the violent attackers are enemies of all ethnic groups in China.

"As a country governed by law, we should severely punish those criminals and protect the interests of the people and the nation," said Yasin, who is from Xinjiang.

The terrorists' purpose is to instigate hatred and disunity among different ethnic groups and sabotage the country's stability, said Ashar Tursun, another NPC deputy from Xinjiang.