A state called East Turkistan existed briefly from 1931 to 1934 and again from 1944 to 1949. Today, the separatist East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) has declared "war" on China, is designated a terrorist organization by the United Nations, and is on the Terrorist Exclusion List of the United States.

This comprehensive account examines the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM)—the most significant Muslim militant group in China—including its origins, objectives, ideology, leadership, and tactics.

To effectively engage China on counterterrorism issues, we must understand the capabilities and intentions of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the most significant Muslim militant group in China. The ETIM: China's Islamic Militants and the Global Terrorist Threat is the first book to focus specifically on the ETIM, a terrorist group that demands an independent Muslim state for the Uyghur ethnic minority in northwest China.

This fascinating study offers a comprehensive account of the group's origins, objectives, ideology, leadership, and tactics. It details the historical and contemporary contexts of the Uyghur separatist movement, the ETIM's alleged ties to international terrorist networks, and the Chinese government's interest in promoting the ETIM as a significant international problem. In addition, the book addresses conflicting claims about the membership and viability of the organization, noting where the Chinese government has apparently manipulated information about the ETIM to suit its own goals. A final chapter explores how various countries define ETIM activities and what that means for relations with China.

• Includes press releases issued by the Chinese government on violent Uyghur separatism and presents timelines of the ETIM’s attacks and other activities and of major events in the history of Uyghur separatism
• Offers a bibliography that compiles scholarly and news sources pertaining to the ETIM and provides glossary of key terms derived from the Chinese, Uyghur, and English languages