Ringleader Nguyen Khanh (R) (Source: VNA)HCM City (VNA) - The People’s Court of HCM City on September 22 handed downsevere sentences to 20 criminals, most of whom are members of the reactionaryorganisation “Trieu dai Viet” (Viet Dynasty), found guilty of “terrorism tooppose the people’s administration” and “illegally manufacturing, storing andtrading explosives”.
The jury said the acts of the defendants were extremely serious, asthey caused social danger and directly violated national security as well asthe legal rights and interests of people and society. Two people were injured andproperty damaged by their acts.
Nguyen Khanh, the ringleader, was sentenced to 20 years in prison afterbeing found guilty of “terrorism to oppose the people’s administration” andfour years in prison for “illegally manufacturing, storing and tradingexplosives”.
Sixteen others found guilty of “terrorism to oppose the people’sadministration” were sentenced to terms of between three and 18 years.
They will continue to be placed under surveillance for two to fiveyears after completing their sentences.
For “illegally manufacturing, storing and trading explosives”, two otherdefendants were given sentences of two years’ imprisonment and the last, twoand a half years behind bars.
Khanh and three other defendants must also pay nearly 350 million VND(15,000 USD) in compensation to the police in Ward 12 in HCM City’s Tan Binhdistrict as well as cover the treatment costs of the two injured persons.
According to the jury, the case was a violation of national securitycommitted by “Trieu dai Viet” that commits terrorist acts aimed at overthrowingthe Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The organisation’s founder, Ngo Van Hoang Hung (also known as NgoHung), was given the death penalty in 1979 (then commuted to a life sentence)in Vietnam for “attempting to overthrow the administration”, but fled toCanada.
He established “Trieu dai Viet”, frequently using social networks tolure people, including Nguyen Khanh, to the organisation.
Hung promised to appoint Khanh “brigadier general and governor of DongNai province”, and sent a total of 144 million VND (6,215 USD) and 600 CAD (455USD) to Khanh to facilitate the operation.
Khanh used the money to buy 5 kg of explosives and 20 detonators fromNguyen Trung Truc, born in 1982 and residing in the Central Highlands’ provinceof Dak Nong, and handed over 7 kg of explosives and 25 detonators he hadpurchased earlier to Duong Ba Giang, born in 1971 and residing in Dong Nai province,in order to create 10 remote-control explosive devices.
Khanh asked Giang to give two explosive devices to 24-year-old Vu HoangNam from HCM City and 27-year-old Duong Khac Minh from north-central Thanh Hoaprovince, and guided them on how to use the devices.
Nam and Minh took the explosive devices, hidden in a backpack and abirthday gift box, to the station of the police in Ward 12 in HCM City’s TanBinh district on June 20, 2018.
Pretending to be a resident completing an administrative matter, Namput the backpack in the reception area and the gift box in the parking area,and exploded the devices remotely. The two then fled to Dong Nai, where theymet with Khanh.
Khanh also handed over an explosive device to Nguyen Xuan Phuong withthe intent to cause an explosion at the Tam Hiep ward police station in BienHoa city, Dong Nai province. Phuong, however, did nothing.
On June 23, 2018, Khanh gave three explosive devices to Nguyen MinhTan, who, together with Pham Tran Phong Vu, caused an explosion at the officeof the police in the Mekong Delta’s Hau Giang province on July 5, 2018.
Tan gave another explosive device to Hua Hoang Anh, who, instead ofcausing an explosion at the office of the police of the Mekong Delta’s KienGiang province, put the device next to a power pole near his home in Minh Hoacommune in Kien Giang’s Chau Thanh district.
Khanh and his son Nguyen Tan Thanh, who was also Khanh’s accomplice,were arrested by HCM City police on June 26, 2018. Nam, Minh and others werecaught later.
Police in Hau Giang and Kien Giang also arrested Tan, Vu, and othersduring the period from August 1 to August 7, 2018./.
VNA
