China police seize 9 monk bombers in Tibet - Xinhua

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese police arrested nine Buddhist monks suspected of bombing a government building in Tibet, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

It was the first report of the bombing, which Xinhua said occurred on March 23. It did not mention any deaths or damage caused by the bomb.

A senior monk in the Tongxia Monastery in Gyanbe Township in Tibet was the ringleader, Xinhua said, adding he and the eight other suspects, all monks from the same temple, had confessed to the crime.

China has accused Tibetan groups of planning suicide attacks following last month's riots and protests, but this would appear to be the first report of a bomb attack during the unrest.

(For in depth coverage of the Tibet unrest, click here)