China calls on Muslims for help

China's communist rulers have called on Muslim clerics to help ensure stability in the restive north-western region of Xinjiang after seizing 11 tonnes of explosives and uncovering, in an anti-crime crackdown between March and May, 83 hide-outs illegally selling firearms.

Keyum Bawudun, the Communist Party's deputy secretary in Xinjiang, urged about 300 Muslim clerics to make contributions to the stability of the region that has been rocked repeatedly by anti-Chinese unrest, including a string of bombings and riots, since February, the Xinjiang Daily said. Reuters - Peking