74-year old Jume Tahir (also spelt Juma Tayir), the Imam at China's largest mosque, Id Kah, in the Silk Road city of Kashgar, was killed on July 30, by three suspected Islamist militants armed with knives. His predecessor narrowly survived a knife attack in the same spot in 1996.  

While the attack contrasted with most recent violence aimed at the majority Han ethnic group, Jume Tahir was a well-known supporter of Beijing authorities and had backed the government after security forces crushed 2009 riots in Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi.  The assassination may be a signal to the local populace that this conflict is now society wide and it is time to now choose sides.s