Condemned terrorists executed in Xinjiang

Eight received death penalty for range of terror-related activities

Eight terrorists have been executed in Xinjiang with the approval of the Supreme People's Court, the publicity department of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region said on Saturday.

They were involved in a number of cases, including the 2013 terrorist attack in Tian'anmen Square; seizing guns and assaulting police in Aksu; murder and manufacturing explosives in Kashgar; and establishing a terrorist organization, murdering a government official and burning checkpoints in Hotan.

They recorded video showing their acts of burning national flags of dozens of countries including China, the United States, the UK, Germany, Egypt, Malaysia, Pakistan and Uzbekistan.

Huseyin Guxur, Yusup Wherniyas and Yusup Ehmet were sentenced to death for organizing and leading a terrorist organization and jeopardizing public security. They masterminded the terrorist attack in Tian'anmen Square that killed three and injured 39 on Oct 28, 2013.

Rozi Eziz was sentenced to death for seizing guns and killing police officers on June 28, 2013, in Aksu's Wushi county.

Abdusalam Elim led a terrorist gang starting in May 2011. The court heard that he and others watched extremist religious videos and took part in illegal religious activities.

They raised funds so that members could receive training.

Abdusalam Elim was sentenced to death for organizing and leading a terrorist organization and the illegal manufacture, transportation and storage of explosives. Memet Tohtiyusup was sentenced to death for killing a civilian on April 18, 2013. The court heard that he had watched videos about religious extremism, violence and terrorism from February 2013.

Abdumomin Imin organized terrorist training beginning in March 2008 and was the leader of an extremist group. He, Bilal Berdi and other members burned two checkpoints and two police vehicles in 2011, and murdered an officer from the forestry bureau of Hotan last year.

They were both sentenced to death on charges of organizing and leading a terrorist organization, arson and intentional killing.