Mahsum, a native of Shule (Kunixar) County, became involved with the East Turkestan independence movement early in his life; in his late 20s, he was already a lecturer at a training camp in Yecheng County, preaching Jihad and advocating the use of violence against Chinese authorities.[10] He was arrested in October 1993 by the Chinese police for terrorist activities and sentenced to three years of re-education through labour.[11] After fleeing China in 1997 to Mecca, Mahsum joined the Taliban[12] and lived in Afghanistan and Pakistan; he held an Afghan passport issued by the Taliban. In early 1999, he was said to have met with Osama bin Laden, who offered him US$300,000 of financial assistance for the East Turkestan Islamic Movement in the following year;[13] Mahsum himself denied any connection with bin Laden.[14] The Chinese government has accused him of directing a series of violent terrorist activities including robbery and murder in Urumqi on February 4, 1999 and violent murders in the Khotan region on December 14, 1999;[15] it is believed that these attacks were carried out by an operative of his named Mutalif Kasim.[10]