Dak Lak attacks not about race: foreign ministry

“We completely deny these wrong opinions,” spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pham Thu Hang said at a press conference Thursday.

She was responding to reporters’ inquiries about whether or not strained racial relations had played a role in the incident.

“This was a law-violating action that severely destabilized security and order,” she said.

“It was organized, and will be dealt with in accordance with the law,” Hang added.

In a U.N. General Assembly meeting on counter-terrorism initiatives last month, the Vietnamese Ambassador to the U.N. Dang Hoang Giang said terrorism continues to be a threat to peace, stability and development on a global scale.

Of the incident in Dak Lak, Giang said what happened was an organized terrorist activity that aimed at state entities, officials and civilians. Giang said organizations and individuals involved in the attacks would be dealt with in accordance with their violations.

Armed groups attacked two People’s Committee offices that also house police offices in Ea Tieu and Ea Ktur communes on June 11, resulting in nine deaths. The Ministry of Public Security called the attacks “reckless, barbaric and inhumane.”

So far, 90 suspects have been arrested for multiple crimes, including terrorism. Among them, one was a member of a U.S.-based organization, and had received instructions to infiltrate Vietnam and perform the attacks, according to official sources.