Muslim executed for trying to 'split' China

Beijing, Feb 9: China has executed a Uighur activist in afar-flung northwestern city for attempting to ''split the motherland''and possessing firearms and explosives, Radio Free Asia (RFA) saidtoday.

Ismail Semed, who was deported to China from Pakistan in 2003,told the court a confession had been coerced, but he was executednevertheless yesterday in Urumqi, capital of the predominantly Muslimregion of Xinjiang, RFA quoted his widow, Buhejer, as saying.

''When the body was transferred to us at the cemetery I saw onlyone bullet hole in his heart,'' Buhejer told the US government-fundedradio station.

Buhejer said she was informed about the decision to execute herhusband on Monday and was allowed to meet him for just 10 minutes.

A spokeswoman for the Urumqi Intermediate People's Court said agroup of people were executed yesterday, but she had no knowledge ofspecific cases. The Xinjiang regional government declined to comment.

China has waged a harsh campaign in recent years against what itsays are violent separatists and Islamic extremists pressing for anindependent ''East Turkestan'' in Xinjiang.

Reuters>