BREAKING: Jury convicts 1, clears 6 over 2019 bomb plot in Hong Kong’s first UN anti-terror trial
Hong Kong Free Press
One man has been convicted over an alleged bomb plot to kill police officers during the 2019 protests and unrest. The remaining six defendants were found not guilty by the nine-member jury.
Lai Chun-pong was found guilty of the alternative charge of conspiracy to cause explosion with intent to endanger life or property. He was found not guilty of the alternative charge of conspiracy to commit bombing of prescribed objects, and cleared of a separate charge of conspiracy to murder.
The panel delivered their verdicts on Thursday following the landmark trial under the UN (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Ordinance.
Cheung Chun-fu, Cheung Ming-yu, Yim Man-him, Christian Lee, Lai Chun-pong, Justin Hui, and Lau Pui-ying were charged over a thwarted bomb plot to murder police officers during a rally in Wan Chai on December 8, 2019.
According to the prosecution, the defendants were members of two radical groups – including a group called “Dragon Slayers” – that had planned the bomb attack during the rally organised by the now-shuttered pro-democracy group Civil Human Rights Front.
Members of Dragon Slayers planned to lure police officers into the vicinity of the two bombs in Hennessey Road, while a gunman from the other radical group would open fire at police from a nearby building, prosecutor said.
The bombs could have caused severe casualties to civilians and properties had they been set off, lead prosecutor Juliana Chow had said.
Protests erupted in June 2019 over a since-axed extradition bill. They escalated into sometimes violent displays of dissent against police behaviour, amid calls for democracy and anger over Beijing’s encroachment. Demonstrators demanded an independent probe into police conduct, amnesty for those arrested and a halt to the characterisation of protests as “riots.”
This is a developing story – refresh for updates.
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