Beijing - Recent events have increased the risk of a terrorist attack at this summer's Beijing Olympics, the secretary general of Interpol said Friday. "An attempted act of terrorism is a real possibility and a real concern that all Olympic host countries have shared in recent years," Ronald Noble said at the opening of the International Conference on Security Cooperation in Beijing.
"Recent Tibet-related protests have introduced significant additional complications to the normal security considerations for a major international event like these Olympics."
Noble also named Islamic terrorism as a possible threat, especially with the unrest caused by Uighur militants in the mainly Muslim region of China's Xinjiang province.
Chinese authorities arrested 45 suspects from the region earlier this month and foiled what officials said were plots to carry out suicide bombings and kidnap athletes during the Olympics.
"We must be prepared for the possibility that al Qaeda or some other terrorist group will attempt to launch a deadly terrorist attack at these Olympics," said Noble.
He added that the situation wasn't helped by the fact that the huge numbers of people travelling to the Olympics would "provide easy cover for terrorists and ensure any attack during the Olympics would have an immediate global impact."
Interpol will assist China in its security preparations for the games, including training, and will have a permanent link with authorities.
The Olympic Games run August 8-24 in the Chinese capital.
