SUMMARY
The conflict over territory between the Government of China and ETIM became active in 2008, although the group traces its roots back to 1940. Since the founding of the group, its name, tactics and ideology has changed at various times. Furthermore, it has been inactive during long periods, and restarted on several occasions. The group subscribed to a violent type of fundamentalist Islam and called for an independent East Turkistan. The group was active mainly in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region and its members were part of the Uighur ethnic group. The “East Turkistan” roughly corresponds to the Xinjiang region. The origins of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) can be traced back to 1940, but its name, tactics and ideology has changed over time. Furthermore, it has been inactive during long periods, and restarted on several occasions. The group subscribed to a violent type of fundamentalist Islam and called for an independent East Turkistan.
After the 9/11 attacks in USA, China described the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) as both a domestic and an international terrorist threat. China claimed that the group had links to al-Qaida. In 2002, US placed the group on two terrorism blacklists (finance and immigration) and the leader of the group; Abdul Haq al-Turkistani was blacklisted in 2009. The group has been referred to by several different names, including the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), commonly used by Western media outlets, UN and USA, as well as Turkistan Islamist Party (TIP) and East Turkistan Islamist Party (ETIP). The group was active mainly in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region and its members were part of the Uighur ethnic group. The “East Turkistan” roughly corresponds to the Xinjiang region.
While the group has claimed a number of attacks during the 1990s and 2000s, it was not until 2008 that the violence passed the UCDP threshold of 25 battle-related deaths in one year. ETIM carried out several attacks in August, mainly in Kashi and Kuqa towns, both in Xinjiang province. On 4 August, ETIM attacked a police station in Kashi town and killed more than a dozen policemen. About a week later, on 10 August, ETIM carried out several attacks in the town of Kuqa. The targets included a police station, government buildings, a bank, a hotel and several shops.
