BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese official said the eight suspects in a knife attack that killed 29 people at a train station over the weekend waged the assault after they were unable to leave the country to join a “holy war,” state media reported Wednesday.

Qin Guangrong, the Communist Party chief of Yunnan province, made the remarks Tuesday while briefing the provincial delegation ahead of the opening of China’s annual ceremonial legislature in Beijing, state-run China National Radio said.

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