According to Reuters, Interpol on Tuesday rejected a Chinese request for help in detaining the U.S.-based leader of the banned Falun Gong spiritual movement, saying the approach had religious or political motives.

The international police organisation issued a statement saying it had informed Beijing that it could not use Interpol channels to locate and arrest Li Hongzhi "in the absence of any information about ordinary law crime he would have committed."

Interpol, which is based in the French city of Lyon, said it had carefully examined the reasons behind the request and concluded that it fell under an article of its constitution forbidding it "to undertake any intervention or activities of a political or religious character."

It said it had reminded China that, as a sovereign state, it could use other means than Interpol to search for the fugitive.

Beijing issued an arrest warrant against Li last week and requested Interpol's aid in its investigations.

In New York, Falun Gong has said the warrant was based on fabricated evidence. Falun Gong asked the U.S. government to protect Li and to urge China to resolve the situation peacefully through direct talks.

The United States has reacted coolly to China's request to detain Li, noting that the two countries have no extradition treaty and that Washington had publicly urged China not to punish people for "peaceful assembly."