Convicts had plotted escape for over a year

Two of the four convicts who killed a prison guard and escaped from a prison in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region earlier this month had been planning the escape for more than a year, local police said yesterday.

Police yesterday finished interrogating Dong Jiaji, 27, and Qiao Haiqiang, 28. They escaped from No 2 Prison in Hohhot, capital city of the region, on Oct. 17. They were at large for 67 hours before being caught.

Two other inmates, Li Hongbin and Gao Bo, joined in the escape plan about half a month prior to the incident. Gao was shot dead in the police chase.