2008年3月6日

今早澳洲电台就连篇累牍报道墨尔本旅游团被西安一劫匪挟持人质事件。不过对我来说看了也没什么，因为西安本来就挺乱的，尤其是我在西交上学那会儿，先是12·1枪案，再是两次钟楼麦当劳爆炸案，然后又是大差市爆炸案和某火锅店爆炸案，最后毕业的时候是回民街枪击案，等等等等……不过再乱也不能阻碍西安这个城市的魅力。

引用《华商报》：

西安警方成功处置一起劫持人质事件 劫匪被击毙

华商网讯（记者 杜文杰 刘强）
3月5日

上午9：52，一犯罪嫌疑人持爆炸物在西安钟鼓楼广场劫持一旅游大巴，以一外国游客和翻译为人质，要求与警方谈判。

警方为避免在市区造成伤害，同意犯罪嫌疑人要求，换乘车辆，前往机场。

案件发生后，陕西省委常委、西安市委书记孙清云亲临西安市公安局指挥中心指挥作战，陕西省公安厅厅长王锐同时在省公安厅协调指挥。

中午12：36，载有犯罪嫌疑人的车辆行驶至机场高速收费站附近，经多方劝说无效，警方果断将其击毙，人质安然无恙，并已经得到妥善安置。

经初步调查，犯罪嫌疑人夏涛，原系西安市阎良区某单位职工，详细案情正在进一步调查之中。

引用澳洲太阳先驱报《Herald Sun》：

Australian tourists taken hostage on tourist bus in China

Steve Lewis with AAP
March 06, 2008 11:57am

MELBURNIANS were among the 10 Australian travel agents who suffered a terrifying ordeal after being taken hostage while on a tour in China.

The trip was an educational tour organised by travel wholesaler China Bestours.

China Bestours general manager Jimmy Liu said the agents, from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, had been on an eight-day trip to Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai to learn more about the country.

He was unwilling to name the travel companies they worked for.

Mr Liu said he had not spoken to the individuals but had contacted company representatives in China, who'd confirmed their safety.

"They're good, they're all safe,'' he said.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said this morning there was no indication the Chinese man who took them hostage chose to specifically target Australians.

A man armed with explosives took the Australian tourists hostage in the Chinese city of Xi'an, keeping one NSW woman captive for several hours before he was shot and killed by police.

"There is no indication this was particularly aimed at Australia or Australians,'' Mr Smith told the Nine Network this morning.

"Our consular officials are seeking to obtain a full briefing from the Chinese authorities and the Chinese police.

"We don't yet have any advice on what the motive may have been.''

None of the hostages, reported to be travel agents, had suffered major injuries and all would return to Australia today, Mr Smith said.

"I'm very pleased to be advised early this morning that everyone is OK,'' he said.

"They've received all of the consular support that we can provide including some, as I understand it, some minor medical assistance but yes, I'm very pleased to advise that all are well.''

The group was "planning, as I understand it, to travel from Shanghai back to Australia during the course of the day,'' Mr Smith said.

The Australians and a translator were on a bus at the Bell and Drum Tower square, in the popular north-west city of Xi'an, when the Chinese national hijacked it just before 10am (1pm Melbourne time) yesterday.

Nine of the Australians were released soon after but the 48-year-old NSW woman and the translator were kept captive for some time longer, Janaline Oh, a spokeswoman for the Australian Embassy in Beijing, said last night.

Mr Smith said the tourist had suffered some injuries.

"I understand there were some minor physical issues, very minor, but it was more shock and the horror of being involved in such a terrible situation.''

Police tried unsuccessfully to negotiate with the hijacker, named by local media as Xia Tao from Xi'an's Yanliang District, before agreeing to let him change buses and drive to the airport.

A sniper shot him as he approached a toll station at 12.36pm local time (3.36pm Melbourne time), China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported, citing the local public security bureau.

The tourists were being flown to the Chinese financial capital of Shanghai last night, where they were to be met by Australian diplomatic officials.

The terrifying ordeal for the Australians comes just weeks before Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is scheduled to visit Beijing, as part of a wide-ranging overseas visit which will also take in Europe and the United States.

The Prime Minister will meet the Chinese President for the first time since Mr Rudd impressed guests at the APEC summit in Sydney with his command of Mandarin.

Xi'an is a tourist magnet for visitors wanting to visit China's famous museum of terracotta warriors and horses.