Hong Kong protests: thwarted plotters planned to use 2 bombs with 10kg in explosives to target police, court hears
- Prosecution urges panel of nine jurors to set aside political views and focus on evidence in trial of six over conspiracy to commit bombing
- ‘If it was successfully detonated, it could have caused severe casualties and property loss within a 400-metre radius,’ ballistics report cited in court says
Prosecutor Juliana Chow Hoi-ling on Tuesday urged a panel of nine jurors on the first day of the anti-terrorism law trial at the High Court to set aside their political views and focus on whether the evidence showed the six defendants had made “an agreement” to carry out the plot planned for December 8, 2019.
The six – Cheung Chun-fu, Cheung Ming-yu, Yim Man-him, Christian Lee Ka-tin, Lai Chun-pong and Justin Hui Cham-wing – were jointly charged with a count of conspiracy to commit the bombing of prescribed objects under the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Ordinance.
A seventh defendant, Lau Pui-ying, is also standing trial on a conspiracy charge of providing or collecting property to commit terrorist acts.
The prosecution on Tuesday cited a ballistic report stating the larger bomb contained 8kg of explosives and about 150 nails, with the device to be planted close to police headquarters in Wan Chai.
“If it was successfully detonated, it could have caused severe casualties and property loss within a 400-metre radius,” the report said.
Chow also said Telegram chat records showed the group had attended military-style training in Taiwan and tested firearms in a Hong Kong suburb before pressing ahead with the planned attack.
If the plot had gone ahead, it would have “indiscriminately” harmed police and also civilians attending a lawful protest on December 8, 2019, she said.
“Regardless of your political stance, I hope all of you will bear in mind that the damage these bombs might have caused would have been indiscriminate.”
Evidence from the prosecution suggested the defendant planned to detonate a smaller bomb containing 2kg of explosives near Emperor Group Centre in Wan Chai to lure police officers out, Chow said.
The court also heard that some of the plotters planned to ambush officers as they arrived at the scene on Hennessy Road.
Chow added that the second bomb would be planted at the same time as the first, going off later as a sniper posted outside police headquarters targeted law enforcement personnel.
7 deny charges over plot to kill Hong Kong police officers in 2019
The prosecutor said police found the two bombs on December 9, 2019, in Wah Yan College Hong Kong in the same district. The larger device was placed in a garbage bag, while the smaller one was concealed in a rucksack.
Each bomb was attached to a mobile phone and could be detonated with a single call, Chow added.
The court earlier heard that two separate members of the group, Ng Chi-hung and Eddie Pang Kwan-ho, who had pleaded guilty to taking part in the plot, were in charge of finishing the larger bomb at the college on the night of December 8.
The prosecution plans to call on 133 witnesses for the trial. The tally includes Pang, plot member David Su and alleged mastermind Wong Chun-keung. All three earlier pleaded guilty to the same offence.
The prosecution will resume its opening statement on Wednesday.
