Three Hong Kong activists jailed up to six years for 'terrorism' bomb plot

Three activists from Hong Kong have been sentenced to prison for up to six years due to their involvement in a thwarted plot to bomb public buildings. They were part of a pro-independence group known as 'Returning Valiant', which was formed in 2021 following pro-democracy protests. The individuals arrested, Ho Yu-wang, Kwok Man-hei, and Cheung Ho-yeung, had planned to manufacture bombs using the explosive TATP and place them in various public buildings, including government offices, police quarters, court buildings, and railways. Their intention was to execute their plan between April 1 and July 5, 2021, but they were apprehended before any of the devices were made.

The court was informed that Ho, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, was primarily responsible for creating the explosives. He pleaded guilty to the terrorism charge and received a six-year prison sentence, with the court identifying him as the 'ring leader' of the group. Cheng, aged 23, was also sentenced to six years in prison, while Kwok, aged 21, was given a 30-month prison term. They both pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of 'conspiracy to cause explosions'. High Court Judge Alex Lee stated that he accepted that the hostile social atmosphere during Hong Kong's prolonged pro-democracy protests could easily cloud a person's moral judgment and might turn individuals with previously good characters into radicals, as reported by Reuters.

Four other individuals involved in the plans were sentenced earlier in May. Introduced in 2020, Hong Kong's comprehensive national security law grants Chinese authorities extensive powers over political and civic activity in the city. The law has been criticized by some foreign authorities as a tool to suppress dissent, while Beijing maintains that it is necessary to quell unrest. To date, nearly 300 people have been arrested under this contentious law.