China today launched a major manhunt for eight suspected Islamic militants from the restive Xinjiang region bordering PoK who were believed to be involved in the mysterious car crash at the iconic Tiananmen Square here that left at least five people dead.
Beijing police are seeking information about eight suspects and five number plates of cars in connection with yesterday's incident that also injured 38 people, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
Earlier, police named two suspects for the crash right in front of the life size picture of Mao Zedong - founder of communist China - at entrance of the iconic Forbidden City overlooking Tiananmen Square.
Last night, police sent a lookout notice to hotels for "suspicious guests" who had stayed in Beijing since October 1, state-run Global Times reported, hinting for the first time that it could be a terror attack.
The police notice said a "major case had taken place on Monday" and named two residents of Pishan county and Shanshan county of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region as likely suspects.
The SUV's number plates started with regional characters and this showed it was from Xinjiang, according to the notice.
Some reports said three persons inside the car, who were killed when it caught fire, were on a suicide mission.
Police said the light-coloured SUV which crashed into steel railings and later caught fire had a number plate from Xinjiang, where Chinese security forces are battling a militant movement headed by the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, an al-Qaeda-linked separatist group.
Xinjiang, home for Uyghur Muslims, has been restive for the past few years as native Uyghurs are protesting against growing settlements of Han Chinese in the province.
If confirmed, this will be the first major incident involving Xinjiang militants in well-guarded Beijing.
