FM spokesman: Violence in Urumqi not a peaceful protest

BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The Sunday violence in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is not a peaceful protest, but "an evil killing, fire setting and looting", said Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang on Tuesday.

File photo released by the government of Urumqi City in a press conference in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, shows a burnt car in the riot happened on July 5, 2009.(Xinhua)

"Anybody calling the violence a peaceful protest is to turn black into white in an attempt to mislead the public," Qin told a regular press conference.

More than 150 people died and other 1,000-odd injured following the riot Sunday evening in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Xinjiang police said Monday they had evidence that separatist World Uyghur Congress leader Rebiya Kadeer masterminded the riot.

Rebiya Kadeer, a former businesswoman in China, was detained in 1999 on charges of harming national security. She was released on bail on March 17, 2005 to seek medical treatment in the United States.