The BBC quoted the head of Tibet's government saying, "The plot of the separatists will fail."

Following riots on Friday, roads in the capital city, Lhasa, were littered with burned vehicles and most shops remained closed, Xinhua, China (OTCBB:XHUA)'s state-run news agency, reported.

A Tibetan government official was quoted as saying there was enough evidence to prove that the "sabotage" was "organized, premeditated and masterminded by the Dalai clique," referring to the Tibetan spiritual head, the Dalai Lama.

Tibetans in Lhasa and elsewhere around the world have been protesting Chinese rule on the anniversary of the failed uprising in 1959. That incident forced the Dalai Lama and many Tibetans to flee into exile.

This week, India and Nepal arrested Tibetan refugee protesters who wanted to draw world attention to their plight during the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing.

The Xinhua report said many of the rioters in Lhasa were carrying backpacks filled with stones and bottles of flammable liquids.