The attacker shortly after committed suicide by jumping from the second story of the historic Drum Tower.

The attack took place at about 12:20 pm, a spokesman from the Beijing municipal government information office said.

He did not give details of how the attack, which took place on the second story of the monument, was carried out. The motive is also not known.

He did not identify the two Americans but said they had entered China on tourist visas.

Yesterday, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) issued a statement on its official website, identifying the American nationals as relatives of a US Olympic volleyball coach.

Police rushed to the scene after receiving an emergency call about the attack and sent the two injured women to the hospital, the spokesman said.

The attacker was identified as 47-year-old Tang Yongming from the city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, according to an ID card found on his body.

Local authorities are investigating the case.

The Drum Tower (Gu Lou in Chinese), together with the nearby Bell Tower (Zhong Lou), was used by the ancient Chinese to tell the time.

In another development, Chinese people condemned and protested against five foreigners for fomenting "Tibetan independence" at Tian'anmen Square yesterday noon.

The five were then taken away by Beijing police.

Tian'anmen Square returned to normal soon afterwards.

Xinhua-Agencies

(China Daily 08/10/2008 page5)