Phan Angel (a US citizen born in 1956) got 14 years in prison. (Source: VNA)HCM City (VNA) – On August 22, the People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City handed outprison sentences ranging from five to 14 years to 12 defendants, all of whomare members of a reactionary organisation.
The defendants are Nguyen James Han, Phan Angel, Truong Nguyen Minh Tri,Do Tai Nhan, Nguyen Hung Anh, Tran Tuan Tai, Vo Hoang Ngoc, Do Quoc Bao, TranVan Vinh, Tran Quang Vinh, Nguyen Van Chanh, and Do Thi Thuy Dung. They aremembers of the self-proclaimed “Chinh phu quoc gia Viet Nam lam thoi”(Provisional National Government of Vietnam).
Accordingly, Nguyen James Han (a Vietnamese expatriate in the US, bornin 1967) and Phan Angel (a US citizen born in 1956) each got 14 years inprison. They will also be deported from Vietnam upon the completion of theirjail terms.
Meanwhile, Truong Nguyen Minh Tri was sentenced to 11 years in prison.Do Tai Nhan, Nguyen Hung Anh, and Tran Tuan Tai will each serve 10 years behindbars.
The court also gave jail sentences of nine years to Vo Hoang Ngoc and DoQuoc Bao, eight years to Tran Van Vinh, seven years to Tran Quang Vinh, andfive years to Nguyen Van Chanh and Do Thi Thuy Dung.
They will be kept under surveillance for two to four years aftercompleting their prison terms.
The reactionary “Chinh phu quoc gia Viet Nam lam thoi” (ProvisionalNational Government of Vietnam) was set up in the US in 1990 by Dao Minh Quan (aUS national born in 1952). The organisation had made use of the Internet tocarry out several propaganda plans aimed at developing their forces in Vietnam,as well as distorting the policies of the Vietnamese Party and State. It alsosent people from other countries to Vietnam in order to directly sabotage activities.
According to the indictment, Nguyen James Hanand Phan Angel were sent to Vietnam by Quan to develop their force and directother members in the country to conduct anti-State activities.
In March 2017, Dao Minh Quan directly assignedNguyen James Han to return to Vietnam to conduct sabotage activities during thecelebrations of the Vietnam’s National Reunification Day on April 30, 2017.
On March 28, 2017, Nguyen James Han enteredVietnam and contacted Phan Angel to discuss implementation plans and disseminateDao Minh Quan’s directions to other members in the country, namely Nguyen QuangThanh, Ta Tan Loc, Tran Tuan Tai, and Nguyen Hung Anh.
Nguyen James Han and Phan Angel delegated tasksto each person, such as distributing leaflets, hacking into radio stations tobroadcast information about their organisation, and protesting againstTaiwanese steel maker Formosa.
However, many of these activities were uncoveredand prevented by authorised agencies.
These activities aside, the reactionary organisationalso carried out many armed terrorist plots in Vietnam, including setting fireto a traffic police warehouse storing motorcycles in Bien Hoa city, Dong Naiprovince. Its members also planted petrol bombs in Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan SonNhat International Airport in April 2017.
Meanwhile, some members of the “Viet NguyenDynasty” organisation, separated from the “Provisional National Government ofVietnam”, bombed the police station of Ward 12 in Tan Binh district, HCM City,injuring three people.
The indictment said the defendants’ acts wereextremely serious, infringing national security, harming national development and stability,affecting political security; social order, and safety, and going against thecountry’s interests.
Their acts constitute the offence of “conductingactivities aimed at overthrowing the people’s administration” under Clause 1,Article 79 of the 1999 Penal Code.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security announced thatthe “Provisional National Government of Vietnam” is defined as a terroristorganisation in accordance with Vietnamese and international law.
Therefore, anyone, who hasparticipated in its propaganda and inciting others to join, sponsor, andreceive sponsorship from the organisation; taken part in the organisation’straining courses, or followed the instructions of the organisation hascommitted acts of “terrorism” and “terrorist sponsor”, and will be treatedpursuant to Vietnamese law. –VNA
VNA
