Hong Kong court says woman involved in bomb plot knew money she raised was spent on guns and incendiary devices

On By Rgal Nv

The only woman in the dock in a Hong Kong The prosecutor, who was accused of plotting a 2019 bomb to target police, knew that money she funded for the Dragon Slaying Brigade was used to buy firearms and incendiary devices, the prosecution told the High Court on Monday.

Prosecutor Juliana Chow Hoi-ling told the nine-person jury that Lau Pui-ying, who allegedly co-managed a Telegram channel between November and December 2019 with brigade leader Wong Chun-keung, helped the group appeal for donations to support illegal activities.

“No matter which team you belong to, I hope you all continue to live in the spirit of ‘killing the dragon.’ Let’s kill the ‘dogs’!” read one of the messages sent by Lau.

Chow explained the meaning of the phrases and suggested that what Lau really meant was “taking the lives of police officers.”

“What the channel promoted was far from inciting the public to protest,” she told the court. “It was not that simple and Lau apparently knew it.”

Chow read private messages between Lau and Wong that suggested the two had drafted and discussed the messages posted on the Telegram channel.

The prosecution had previously alleged that Lau was kept informed of the brigade’s activities, including the acquisition of incendiary devices.

Lau, who is in her 20s, has denied a charge of conspiracy to supply or collect property to commit terrorist acts under the United Nations Anti-Terrorism Measures Order during the civil war. 2019 Events.
Anti-government protesters march from Causeway Bay to Central in December 2019. Photo: Sam Tsang

Six other men have pleaded not guilty to their alleged involvement in a plot to plant two bombs on Hennessy Road in Wan Chai on December 8, 2019.

Wong was jointly charged with the offences and pleaded guilty.

He also appeared as a prosecution witness against Lau. Wong said he considered Lau a member of the brigade, but added that she had not participated in the protests on the front lines.

Chow claimed that a new Telegram channel to promote and fund the brigade was created in early November 2019, with Lau primarily responsible for managing it.

Chow repeatedly told the jury during his closing arguments that he had to put aside any personal political views and the demands that protesters had made of the government in 2019.

She said they should focus on the conduct of the accused, who allegedly committed an offence aimed at endangering the safety of others because of his political beliefs.

The court previously heard that Lau was arrested at the airport on December 9, 2019 as she was returning to the city from Taiwan.

Wong and the mastermind of the bomb plot, Ng Chi-hung, were taken into custody the day before and the planned attack never took place.

The court heard that messages exchanged between Lau and a friend the day before she decided to return to the city showed that although she knew Wong had been arrested, she believed he would not implicate her.

Chow told the jury it had to decide whether Lau was guilty of helping the brigade carry out illegal actions, whether or not related to the Dec. 8 bombing.

The case will continue Tuesday, when defense attorneys begin their closing arguments.