BEIJING, March 9 (UPI) -- Chinese authorities said the crew of a China Southern Airlines flight disrupted an apparent terrorist attack, it was reported Sunday.
The passenger plane was force to land Friday because "some people were attempting to create an air disaster" the chairman of the semi-autonomous Xinjiang province told the state-run Xinhua news agency. An airline official declined to define the event as a terrorist attack, saying that was up to official investigators to decide.
"But we can be sure that this was a case intending to create an air crash," he said.
The BBC said Chinese officials were also concerned over possible terrorist attacks at the Beijing Summer Games.
In related news, a member of the Communist Party of China, Wang Lequan, said authorities would adopt a strike-first policy against militants.
"We are prepared to strike them when the evil forces are planning their activities," Wang said.
