Terrorists’ death sentences upheld
Print Edition
A COURT yesterday upheld the death sentences handed to three men for their roles in a terrorist attack at a railway station in Kunming, capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, in March that left 31 people dead.
Iskandar Ehet, Turgun Tohtunyaz and Hasayn Muhammad were sentenced to death on September 12 for leading a terrorist organization and intentional homicide.
Investigators said the men had been training recruits for terrorist activities, including the attack at Kunming railway station, since last December.
All three men were arrested for planning to illegally cross the Chinese border on February 27, just days before the attack took place.
After failing to establish contact with Iskandar, five members of the group carried out their attack as originally planned on March 1.
Four were shot dead at the scene by police while Patigul Tohti was shot and captured.
A total of 31 people were killed in the attack and 141 were injured.
Patigul was sentenced to life for participating in the attack as well as intentional homicide during the first trial.
The court ruled that although her criminal acts were extreme, as she was pregnant at the time of the arrest, she would be handed a life sentence.
The Yunnan Higher People’s Court yesterday rejected Muhammad’s appeal and upheld the penalty meted out by the Kunming Municipal Intermediate People’s Court last month.
The higher court affirmed the facts and evidence of the first trial and declared the judgment and sentencing appropriate.
It also ruled that all three suspects were guilty of organizing, leading and plotting violent terrorist attacks, and said they should take responsibility for all the crimes committed and organized by their terrorist cell.
According to the original verdict, Iskandar and Muhammad recruited people to terror cells, while Tohtunyaz was a financier of terrorist activities.
Muhammad tried to appeal to the court that he had not acted alone, meaning his crime did not constitute intentional homicide.
The court ruled, however, that his appeal did not stand as it was not in line with the facts and legal provisions.
More than 300 people, including lawmakers, political advisers and journalists, attended yesterday’s trial.
The court also supplied translators so the defendants could communicate in their native tongue.
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