British national Akmal Shaikh has been executed in China for drug smuggling despite last-ditch pleas for clemency from the man's family, human rights groups and the British government. China's Supreme Court had earlier approved the death sentence which was carried out by firing squad a short time after in Urumqi, the capital of the far-western Xinjiang region. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said China has executed the 53 year old Shaikh. He condemns the execution of Akmal Shaikh in the strongest terms. Mr Brown also repeatedly raised the case with China's leaders and appealed for clemency.The official Xinhua news agency, citing Supreme Court sources, said the evidence provided by Shaikh's legal team that he suffers from mental illness was "insufficient". The materials provided by the British side were insufficient in proving that Akmal has a mental illness and that Akmal's family has a history of mental illness. Akmal himself also did not provide such materials.The case of Shaikh, who was sentenced in December, last year, has sparked condemnation from rights activists.