Actions of alleged Hong Kong ‘Dragon Slaying Brigade’ accomplice ‘not terrorism’, defence says
- Defence argues Lau Pui-ying, who handled crowdsourced funds for brigade, did not know how money was spent and was merely an ‘accountant’
A defence lawyer in a trial over a thwarted bomb plot targeting Hong Kong police has argued his client’s role in the 2019 anti-government protests “did not come close” to the terrorist acts that prosecutors had sought to depict her and her alleged accomplices of performing.
On the last day of closing submissions from the defence, barrister David Ma Wai-kwan told the High Court on Thursday Lau Pui-ying, 25, was “dragged down” by the leader of the “Dragon Slaying Brigade”, defendant turned prosecution witness Wong Chun-keung.
Lau, the only female defendant among seven charged under the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Ordinance in connection with allegedly planting two bombs in Wan Chai on December 8, 2019, is accused of raising funds through crowdsourcing for the brigade.
But she denied the conspiracy charge of providing or collecting property to commit terrorist acts, with her lawyer arguing she was merely an “accountant” who had transferred supporters’ money to Wong without knowing what specific acts the funds were for.
The high-profile case against the seven defendants was the first instance of the ordinance being invoked since its enactment in 2002, and Ma reminded the nine-member jury they were sitting through a trial involving the first alleged terrorist acts a city court had ever heard.
The planned attack, which did not occur, was a conspiracy the prosecution had alleged the brigade hatched with another team led by plot mastermind Ng Chi-hung.