Beijing: Three suspected Islamic militants from China`s Xinjiang province have been sentenced to death and another to 25 years in jail for a violent terrorist attack which killed 24 people in June this year.
The Intermediate People`s Court of the Turpan Prefecture, which administers Shanshan County, handed the death penalty to Ahmatniyaz Sidiq holding him guilty for organising, leading and participating in a terrorist organisation, homicide and arson.
He was also deprived of political rights for life.
The court also sentenced Urayim Eli and Abdulla Esrapil to death for their participation in the terrorist organisation and homicide.
Another suspected militant Akram Usman was sentenced to 25 years in jail and was deprived of political rights for five years for his participation in the terrorist organisation, homicide and arson, state-run news agency Xinhua said.
All the four who hail from the native Muslim Uygur community were accused of carrying out deadly attacks with swords and daggers in Xinjuiang`s Shanshan County on June 26.
Twenty four people including two police officials were killed and 23 others were injured in the attack.
A gang of 13 people, including Ahmatniyaz Sidiq, Urayim Eli, Abdulla Esrapil and Eli Ahmatniyaz, carried out the violent attack on June 26 at Lukqun Township, Shanshan County in the Turpan Prefecture.
All the four are suspected to be members of ETIM. The court charged that all the four advocated and spread religious extremism, watched violence-inciting videos from foreign terrorist organisations, and read books on religious extremism to further conspire on terrorist activities.
According to the prosecutors, Eli Ahmatniyaz gathered with Akram Usman and four others on June 19 and plotted attacks against the local police station, government and a market.
Akram Usman and his conspirators provided 10,800 yuan (USD 1765.3) and bought gasoline and 47 knives during the period from June 20 to 25, according to the court.
Police investigation showed that the multiple attacks in Shanshan on June 26 were a premeditated and organised violent terrorist crime.
The methods used were merciless in the extreme and the incident had serious consequences so they ought to be severely punished in accordance with the law, the court said.
PTI
