Hong Kong court convicts 1 person and acquits 6 others in landmark terrorism trial

HONG KONG — A Hong Kong court on Thursday convicted one person and acquitted six others over a thwarted bomb plot during anti-government protests in 2019, in the city's first case brought under a United Nations anti-terrorism law, according to local media.

A panel of nine jurors convicted Lai Chun-pong of conspiring to cause explosions likely to endanger life or cause significant property damage. He was acquitted of conspiring to target prescribed objects with bombs under the anti-terror law.

The remaining six — Cheung Chun-fu, Cheung Ming-yu, Yim Man-him, Christian Lee, Justin Hui and Lau Pui-ying — were cleared of all charges against them, including conspiring in the bomb plot and to murder police officers.

The seven are not well-known activists in the semi-autonomous Chinese city’s pro-democracy movement, but their case has drawn attention because the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Ordinance was invoked. Hong Kong enacted the law to implement a U.N. Security Council resolution passed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to charges arising from their alleged roles in the plot in late 2019, a time when accusations of police brutality in handling protesters were widespread. Prosecutors said the foiled plan involved setting off two bombs and shooting officers along a rally route on Dec. 8, 2019.

During the trial that began in April, prosecutors said most of the defendants were members of two groups, including one called “Dragon Slaying Brigade," local media reported. The prosecution said members of the brigade planned to lure police officers onto an area where bombs would be detonated and a sniper would target them.

Lawyers of Lee and Lai told the court that police had assaulted their clients following their arrests. The accused sergeant denied the allegations in court.

Also Thursday, Cheung Chun-fu, who had previously pleaded guilty to charges of possessing explosives and firearms, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, the reports said.

The 2019 movement was the city’s most concerted challenge to the Hong Kong government since the former British colony returned to Chineses rule in 1997.

Since the protests broke out five years ago, more than 10,200 people have been arrested in connection with the often-violent social unrest sparked by a now-withdrawn extradition bill, which would have allowed suspects in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China.

It waned with massive arrests and exiles of democracy activists, the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of a tough security law.