China to reward terror informants

China's Ministry of Public Security has promised substantial rewards for those who give information to the "people's war" against terrorism.

Rewards will be according the value of the information in preventing terrorist attacks or catching suspects. The actual amount will be decided by local police according to the regional financial situation.

Among the areas which have already made public their rewards, the ceiling is 500,000 yuan ($80,000) in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 200,000 yuan in Yunnan Province, and there is no ceiling in Shenzhen City.

The public can submit information directly to the police in person or via the 110 hotline, letters, emails, or text messages.

Public tip-offs have proved to be very effective :"The anti-terror fight must combine the forces of both professionals and the public," said An Weixing, director of the ministry's anti-terror bureau.

A total of 32 terror cells have been busted and more than 380 suspects apprehended in western China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region since a year-long nationwide anti-terror operation began on May 23.

During the period, police received more than 400 tip-offs which led directly to 11 terror cells, one religious extremist group and the capture of more than 80 suspects.

The ministry also promised to protect informants and police officers will be punished if informants come to any harm.

The move comes after a series of terrorist attacks. Xinjiang saw its bloodiest day in five years on May 22 when 39 people were killed in an attack in the regional capital of Urumqi. On April 30, three people were killed and 79 injured at a railway station in Urumqi. In March, assailants killed 29 civilians and injured another 143 at a station in the southwestern city of Kunming.