Mom told me to set myself on fire, son says

• Source: Global Times
• [02:13 August 05 2009]
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Riot investigations yield results

Authorities in Urumqi said yesterday that 83 people have been formally charged for alleged involvement in the July 5 riot that left 197 people dead and more than 1,600 injured.

Procurator Utiku’er Abudrehman made the announcement Tuesday in the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest China, the first time authorities had officially announced arrests.

“Those arrested will face charges of murder, intentional injury, arson and robbery,” the procurator said. No date has been set for the trials.

In total, 718 people have been detained for participating in the riot, Urumqi City Police Chief Chen Zhuangwei said Tuesday.

Chen said evidence collected by the city’s police force involved examining crime scenes and evaluating DNA.

Xinhua