China says Islamist militants kill pro-Beijing imam in Xinjiang

BEIJING (Reuters) - Three suspected Islamist militants armed with knives and axes killed the imam of China's biggest mosque in the western region of Xinjiang on Wednesday, the authorities said, days after a knife-wielding gang attacked state buildings in the same region.

All three attackers, who were named by the government, had ethnic Uighur names and the imam, Juma Tayir, was a well-known pro-government Uighur who led prayers at the Id Kah Mosque in the old Silk Road city of Kashgar.