Chris Parker and Peter Rowley

This paper establishes recognition theorems for the finite Lie-type groups defined in odd characteristic $p$. The hypotheses of these theorems are couched in terms of certain local data in the form of an amalgam which is called a weak $BN$-pair of rank 2. The groups to be recognized are completions of these amalgams which satisfy the condition of being of local characteristic $p$ (a condition satisfied by the finite Lie-type groups defined in characteristic $p$). The results presented will find application in one of the ongoing revisions of the finite simple group classification.

2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 20D08.