China court sentences 27 to death for Xinjiang attacks

A Chinese court today sentenced 27 people to death for the terror attacks in the country's restive Muslim majority Xinjiang province in July that left nearly 100 people dead.
Twelve of the accused will go to gallows while 15 others were given death penalty with two-year reprieve, according to official media reports.
The Intermediate People's Court of Kashgar Prefecture also sentenced nine people to life in prison while another 20 were give four to 20 years jail terms for the attacks. In addition, two defendants got probation, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Thirty-seven civilians and 59 terrorists were killed and another 13 civilians wounded in the July 27 attack on a police station and government offices in Kashgar Prefecture, bordering Pakistan occupied Kashmir, in Shache County.

Among the dead were 35 Hans and two Uygurs, the local government said.
Those sentenced to death included Osman Ablet, Yuwup Ablet and Jume Qadir.

According to the court, Osman Ablet joined a terrorist group led by Nur Memet, who was shot dead by police during the attack, and slashed at passing drivers with a knife, killing three.
Yuwup Ablet was also the member of the group and killed five people while Jume Qadir smashed cars and killed two.
Investigations showed that it was an attack jointly "organised and premeditated" by terrorists both in and outside China, the government had said blaming for the first time terrorists from outside for the attack.

Xinjiang, restive over native Muslim Uygur's resentment over settlements of Hans, has witnessed a surge in terror attacks. China accuses an Al-Qaeda-backed East Turkestan Islamic Movement for the attacks.
The Kashgar attack was regarded as one of the worst in recent times, as a gang of people armed with knives and axes attacked a police station and government offices in Elixku Township.