Beijing, September 13
China today demanded the release of the captain of the Chinese fishing trawler after Japan set free 14 crew members involved in a collision with two Japanese coastguard vessels off disputed islands, sparking a major diplomatic row between the two countries.

“The Japanese side continues to illegally detain the captain of the Chinese fishing boat,” a foreign ministry statement said, adding “China once again strongly urges the Japanese side to immediately release him as well.”

The captain of the Chinese trawler, Zhan Qixiong, 41, is still being held by Japanese authorities and China strongly demands the Japanese side immediately let him return,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said.

Fourteen Chinese fishermen, whose trawler was seized and their Captain arrested by Japanese Coast Guard off disputed Diaoyu islands a week ago returned home today, asserting that they had been detained illegally by Japan and prevented from fishing in what they claimed to be Chinese waters.

“All the people of China... should condemn the illegal Japanese behaviour in one voice and fully embody the staunch will and determination of the Chinese government and people to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the foreign ministry spokeswoman said.

The so-called evidence-taking activities of Japan against the captain were illegal, invalid and in vain, she said. Japanese authorities had yesterday towed the Chinese trawler into the sea near Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture to re-enact the vessel’s collision with two Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessels off the disputed Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

Wang Guohua, one of the crew members of the trawler said they have been fishing in those waters for generations”.

“For generations, we have fished in those waters and so how could they seize us?” Wang was quoted by the official media here as saying after their arrival back home.

He said the Diaoyu Islands, which the Japanese call as Senkaku islands were part of Chinese territory and their detention by the Japanese authorities was illegal.

Japan today released 14 crew members of a Chinese fishing trawler, but their captain who was charged under Japanese law for “ramming” his boat into two Japanese Coast Guard vessels was remanded to custody by a court till September 19.

The uninhabited disputed islands being administered by Japan are claimed by China.

A plane chartered by the Chinese government flew 14 Chinese fishermen from Japan to the southeast China port city of Fuzhou today while their trawler is being brought back by Chinese official fisheries vessels.

The Chinese fishermen were detained after their trawler collided with two Japanese Coast Guard patrol vessels near the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea last Tuesday.

No injuries were reported from the collision.

Their release to an extent lowered diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The diplomatic stand off took a serious turn yesterday when a Chinese vessel reportedly confronted two Japanese survey ships in the East China Sea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry summoned the Japanese Ambassador four times to lodge protest over the detention of the Captain.

China has also called off negotiation with Japan on the East China Sea issue. The diplomatic row came as a surprise as both the countries had moved closer in recent months to improve relations, specially on the trade front.

Wang thanked the ruling communist party and the government for efforts made to get their release.

China has repeatedly lodged solemn representations to the Japanese side about the incident, and all Chinese people, including overseas Chinese compatriots, have denounced the illegal moves of the Japanese side, Jiang said. “All this fully illustrates the firm will and determination of the Chinese government and the Chinese people to safeguard the territory and sovereignty of our homeland,” she said. — PTI

London, September 13
A surrogate mother carrying two grandchildren of Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden has lost the twins, after she was attacked on her way home from a cafe in Syria, a media report said.

According to ‘The Sun’, bin Laden’s 29-year-old son Omar hired 24-year-old Louise Pollard from Bristol to have the kids for him and his estranged British wife Zaina.

But Louise, who was 10 weeks pregnant, lost the twins after she was attacked by two men on her way home from a cafe in Syria. The former pole dancer went to hospital where she was told the babies had died, the report said.

She said there was no clear motive for the attack but she had been recognised in the UK and abroad as the woman carrying the grandchildren of Al-Qaida terror chief bin Laden, the British tabloid said.

Zaina, 54, formerly Jane Felix-Browne, of Cheshire, said Omar had developed a mental illness and the couple have now separated. They had been due to pay Louise 10,000 pounds after the birth of the twins. — PTI