The arrest of two men on the mainland who are wanted for an execution-style killing in the United States was hailed yesterday as a defining case in the push for Hong Kong to be made the extradition platform of Asia.
Siny Van Tran, 45, known as 'Toothless Wah', and Nam The Tham, 44, known as 'Johny Cheung', escaped to a bolt-hole on the mainland after five men were murdered during a card game in Boston in 1991.
For nearly five years the two alleged gangland killers lived on the run until they were arrested on unrelated charges. They were in the custody of mainland police for three years before being linked to the Boston murders and taken to Hong Kong.
Tran and Tham were returned to Boston to face trial after waiving formal extradition procedures in Hong Kong in 2001.
The arrests, the liaison with the mainland authorities and the subsequent extradition were held up by one of the FBI's most senior officials as an example of Hong Kong's potential role as a regional extradition platform.
The organisation's executive assistant director, Charles S. Prouty, said it was a shining example of the need for a 'streamlined' link between law enforcement agencies around the world.
Mr Prouty urged government authorities to discuss ways Hong Kong might be able to act as a centre for the extradition of wanted criminals out of Asia.
