news that closed envelopes had been sent to the post boxes of some important persons, official bureaus and institutions. According to these rumors, there was anthrax within these envelopes. This event was transformed into a campaign to spread fear. Suddenly support started to accumulate for the campaign known as the war against international terrorism. However, as suddenly as the campaign started, it came to an end.

Only the Chinese were busy with changes in their criminal laws to fight crimes regarding anthrax and radioactive materials. In reality, they were trying to find official approval of many customary laws used against the Uyghur people in the atmosphere that had been created by September 11. “Know your opportunity well; know when the wind is blowing in your favor”. That was just what the Chinese were doing. On 17.12.2001, the New China News Agency announced that the Xinhua parliament had started a marathon session to discuss a draft of changes that would give the government greater constitutional rights against activities related to terrorism. The agency related the statements of some persons, describing them as leading parliamentarians: “Changes are made to give rights to authorized bodies to protect the national security, social order, life and property of citizens.” “These new changes are expected to give the Chinese government a wiser legal frame in its war against terrorism.”38

As is known by those who study China’s criminal laws, the penalty of execution is given for a series of civil crimes like drug smuggling, armed assault, rape and murder. The penalty for terrorism was only a prison sentence of up to 10 years. However, according to the draft of changes approved by Congress on 24.12.2001, the penalty was increased execution. The Congress legislation affairs committee vice chairman explained that: “Those who will suffer this penalty are people who spread poisonous, radioactive or contaminating materials” and “Those who are involved in the production, trade and storage of these materials.” It must be remembered that the penalty for spreading poisonous materials was a maximum of three years before, according to China Daily journal dated 25.12.2001. Penalties for “those who spread false threats or incorrect information regarding terrorist activities” may be as much as “five years in prison”.

Without a doubt those who followed the Uyghur riot in Urumqi observed how peaceful protests from the public requesting an investigation into the deaths of workers employed in Chinese factories turned into a massacre at the hands of army and police forces. As a result 1,400 were killed and injured. In contrast to this, those who saw the Chinese state president Hu Jintao on Chinese television on 8.7.2009 throwing threats in forms of “ heavy penalties will be given, as specified in the law to those involved in clashes”. The regional Communist Party director Li Zhi explained that the president had said: “The leaders of the incident could be executed.”39