One of the students pleaded guilty to terrorist activities under the National Security Act.
The three boys, aged between 20 and 23, joined a string of people convicted in the prosecution of the little-known Returning Valiant group more than two years ago.
The group, made up mostly of students, advocated Hong Kong’s independence from China and called for resistance following the national security law was introduced in 2020. The law, which sought to crack down on dissent, came following massive pro-democracy protests that sometimes turned into violent clashes.
In 2021, the group allegedly planned to make bombs using the explosive substance TATP (acetone peroxide or tricycloacetone peroxide) and detonate them in public places, including court buildings.
In July of the same year, before they might make the explosives, they were arrested by the Hong Kong National Security Police.
According to prosecutors, Ho Yu-wang (Ho Yuwang), who was 17 years old at the time of his arrest, was responsible for making the explosives.
After more than two years in prison, Ho Yu-wang was sentenced to six years in prison for conspiracy to commit terrorist activities. The court recognized him as the leader of the group.
Kwok Man-hei, who recently turned 21, and Cheung Ho-yeung, a 23-year-old university student involved in the case in April, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to cause the explosions.
Kwok Man-hei was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison and Cheung Ho-yeung to six years for being the first to come up with the idea of ”attacking government offices, court buildings and police headquarters”, the court was told.
Prosecutors also alleged that Cheung Ho-yeung allocated 40 thousand. Hong Kong dollars (4,583 euros) for the purchase of equipment and chemicals needed by Ho Yu-wang.
“In 2019 and 2020, the hostile social atmosphere was such that it (…) might turn some previously good people into radicals,” said High Court Judge Alex Lee. Lee is one of the judges selected by the government to hear national security cases.
“Regardless of what the defendants intended, the plan was undoubtedly to cause harm,” she said.
Earlier, 11 youths associated with the group were convicted in the first two cases involving minors under the security law.
Last year, the United Nations raised concerns regarding what it said were the sentencing of children.
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2024-07-19 11:07:59
