Lhasa Municipal People's Procuratorate on Wednesday released arrest warrants against 24 criminal suspects engaged in the Lhasa riot, an official said on Thursday.

The 24 are accused to have endangered national security and committed severe criminal offense in the riot on Friday, said Xie Yanjun, deputy procurator of Lhasa City People's Procuratorate.

The riot "disturbed social order and jeopardized people's lives and properties and the procuratorate will carry out its actions based on fact and the law," Xie said.

(Xinhua News Agency, March 21, 2008)