Beijing: China has arrested nine monks for allegedly "bombing" a government building in Lhasa, as Beijing ratcheted up the rhetoric against the Dalai Lama "clique" and on critics over its crackdown in Tibet.

The Beijing Olympic torch, facing massive anti-China protests, has arrived in Tanzania amid tight security.

The nine monks were arrested for bombing a government building on March 23 amid widespread riots in the Tibetan capital, China's state media reported.

The bombing targeted a government building in the town of Gyanbe and was carried out by monks from the Tongxia monastery, Xinhua news agency said, quoting police as saying.

It named Rinqen Jamcan, 27, a "ranking monk" at the monastery, as ringleader. All the suspects have "confessed", it said as China has ratcheted up the rhetoric against the Dalai Lama "clique".

China accused supporters of the 72-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate of planning suicide attacks as part of a campaign ahead of the Olympics in August to push for Tibetan independence.

The Dalai Lama has repeatedly denied "masterminding" the unrest in his Himalayan homeland.

In New York, six independent experts, who report to the UN Human Rights Council, expressed "deep concern" over the reports that Chinese security forces fired on Tibetan protestors leading to the killings of some demonstrators.

They urged China to "fully conform to its commitment to freedom of expression and assembly, and to distinguish between peaceful protestors and those committing acts of violence."

Meanwhile, the Beijing Olympic torch arrived in Dar es Salaam, capital of Tanzania, where sports officials said they did not expect any trouble during its run in the East African nation.

 "It is a great honour and privilege for Tanzania to host this torch. Don't worry, all preparations are all set," Dar es Salaam's mayor, Adam Kimbisa said.

Demonstrators, angry at China's human rights record have marred the torch's relay in London, Paris and San Fransisco on the way to Beijing. The procession of the torch in Argentina on Friday was the most trouble-free so far.

Reports said the route for the Australian leg of the Olympic torch relay has been changed after the spectacle attracted angry pro-Tibet protests in Europe, AFP quoted an official as saying.

Organisers of the flame's two-day stop in the national capital Canberra from April 23 have already said that, while the route would not be shortened, security would be enhanced.

A Malaysian Olympic official also said he feared foreign agitators might try and disrupt the Malaysian leg of the Beijing Olympic's torch relay on April 21.

The International Olympic committee has said that there would be no change to the relay.

The torch rally will be held in India on April 17 and then heads to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, South Korea, Japan and Vietnam before heading to China.

Meanwhile, China's official media continued its attack on the US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, calling her as the "least popular person" in the Communist nation who "flagrantly" interfered in its internal affairs.

Xinhua news agency, in a commentary, accused Pelosi of having "uneasiness" about China's "peaceful rise".

Pelosi had angered Beijing when she met the Dalai Lama in India recently and gave her solid backing to the Tibetans movement. A US House resolution, initiated by her on Tibet asks Beijing to end crackdown has further infuriated China.

The Dalai Lama, currently in the US, is expected to speak about the turmoil in Tibet at a five-day conference on compassion held in Seattle.

Source : PTI