Three alleged Islamist militants had been sentenced by a Chinese court for the murder of a state supported imam, as reported by the official Xinhua news agency.

Two of the suspects had been sentenced to death while the third one had been punished with life imprisonment for the murder of Juma Tayir late July this year.

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According to Chinese investigators, the renowned pro-government imam was slayed by the three men who reportedly carried knives and axes to ensure the accomplishment of their planned attack. Tayir, an ethnic Uighur who was a recognized prayer leader at the biggest mosque in China, had been popular for his apparent support to the Chinese government. Authorities stated that the imam had been murdered in Xinjiang.

Two of the men who attacked Tayir was subsequently shot by the responding officers. The third suspect, Nurmemet Abidili, was later arrested.

In accordance with the decision released by the Kashgar Intermediate People's Court, the two men sentenced to death were Abidili and Gheni Hasan. The verdict was made on the charges pertaining to organizing and heading terrorist groups, as well as murder.  

The report from Xinhua on Sunday disclosed that Hasan had been heavily influenced by religious extremism. In addition, the convict had reportedly headed a group of trained men aiming to slay nationalistic religious leaders.

The third convict, Atawulla Tursun, had been meted the penalty of life imprisonment. The decision for this punishment was rooted from his involvement and participation in terrorist groups and activities, as well as murder.

Another man named Aini Aishan, an 18-year-old Islamist, had been identified by the state media as the one who actually conceived and directed the assassination of Tayir. However, no mention of the alleged mastermind was found in the decision.

Tayir had been the subject of controversies among Uighurs. One of the most prominent issues involving the assassinated imam was his decision to support the Chinese government in 2009 following the death of 200 people due to deadly riots that erupted in the capital of Xinjiang.

TagsJuma Tayir, Islamist, Xinhua, Murder, Imam