Chinese police have detained an elderly American teacher at a Beijing college for allegedly taking photographs that "they termed pornographic," a U.S. Embassy spokesman said Saturday.
Other foreign teachers acquainted with the man detained, however, said they believed the incident may be politically motivated because he is a Romanian ethnic. Beijing's college campuses have been in renewed ferment since the recent upheaval in Romania.The U.S. Embassy spokesman said Chinese police informed the embassy late Friday they had detained Gabriel Tabor, a U.S. citizen who teaches at the Beijing Aeronautics Institute. Tabor was said by acquaintances to be in his late 60s.
"They said he was detained for taking photographs which they termed pornographic," the embassy spokesman said. "We haven't heard his side of the story yet."
Tabor was expected to be released from detention on Monday, the spokesman said.
Chinese authorities could not be reached for comment late Saturday. Foreign teachers contacted at the institute said they knew only that he was taken away by police on Friday.
The foreign teachers suggested, however, the incident may have political implications.