WASHINGTON, May 2 (IslamOnline) - The Chinese government has launched a new wave of executions and arrests of Muslims in the Xinjiang region, a province dominated by Muslims.
According to latest press reports China executed 30 alleged criminals, including eight in Xinjiang.
The Xinjiang Daily reported Tuesday that eight ethnic Uighur Muslims were executed April 26th in Korla after being convicted on charges of murder and assault.
On the same day, several Uighur Muslim freedom fighters were sentenced to death in provincial capital of Urumqi. One man identified as Abdulaimit Mehmet was convicted for murder and separatism.
The same paper reported last Friday that 25 people were arrested in the border town of Kashgar. They were alleged to be involved in bombings and assassinations for over a decade, and have been charged for buying guns and forming a group to create an independent Islamic state.
According to police, the group was formed in October 1999 by Abuduai Nisemaiti and had recently bought nine pistols and a hunting rifle. They also claim to have found 100 bullets, two bow-and-arrow sets and eight cell phones.
The daily further added that supporters of the group have given it $16,000 to buy further weapons.
The latest killings have brought the total number of those executed in China within the past three weeks to a total of 480.
