A sniper involved in a thwarted bomb plot targeting Hong Kong police during the 2019 social unrest wanted to “maximise the killing” of officers so protesters could collect their service weapons and, once armed, have the same level of power as the force, one of its ringleaders has said.
On his second day taking the witness stand, plan mastermind Wong Chun-keung told the High Court on Tuesday about the division of roles among his team of roughly 10 “valiant” men, also known as “Dragon Slayer”, and a second squad run by Ng Chi-hung.
Under the plan, Wong said his team would start a fire to lure police to Hennessy Road in Wan Chai on December 8 of that year, while Ng’s side would be responsible for shooting at officers and detonating two bombs, the court heard.
Wong said he initially wanted to bring the attack ahead by a week, but the sniper on Ng’s team preferred to stick with the original plan, which he saw as a way to distribute guns to protesters and ensure they had the same strength as police.
“As the sniper pulled the trigger of the rifle, he was hoping to maximise the killings of police, so that when officers were dead or injured, [protesters] could collect their guns,” he said. “The sniper predicted that the world would then become ‘weapon free’.”
Wong said the sniper believed his act would have a copycat effect, and protesters would be encouraged to use firearms once a precedent had been set.
Both Wong and Ng earlier pleaded guilty to a joint count of conspiracy to commit the bombing of prescribed objects, while Wong’s alleged former teammates – Yim Man-him, Cheung Chun-fu, Cheung Ming-yu and Christian Lee Ka-tin – were among six men who denied the charge.
David Su, the sniper, earlier admitted to three charges, including conspiring to commit murder.
Wong told the court that two days after Lee went to test firearms with Ng’s team in a Sai Kung suburb on November 16 of that year, he and Ng met in Kwun Tong and discussed preparations for obtaining smuggled weapons and making bombs.
Team members of thwarted bomb plot in Hong Kong ‘trained with Taiwanese veteran’
Team members of thwarted bomb plot in Hong Kong ‘trained with Taiwanese veteran’
The two briefly reached a consensus that Wong’s team would focus on luring out officers, while Ng would handle the explosives and firearms, he claimed.
“We did not have a thorough plan at that time. [Ng] only said we should wait for the next large-scale protest and press ahead with the plot,” he said.
Wong said he, Ng and two other team leaders of frontline protesters met in a bar in Tsuen Wan on December 3 to discuss details of the plan. He was told that the 20kg (44lbs) of explosives in Ng’s possession had been used to make two bombs.
‘Plotters planned to use 2 bombs with 10kg in explosives to kill Hong Kong police’
‘Plotters planned to use 2 bombs with 10kg in explosives to kill Hong Kong police’
According to Wong, Ng suggested they set fire to mainland China-funded banks to lure officers to the scene.
But Wong instead proposed setting fire to the Emperor Group Centre on Hennessy Road and then signal Ng’s team to fire at the right time, the court heard.
Ng allegedly told him that the sniper would determine when protesters had dispersed and it was the ideal time to open fire on the officers.
The hearing will continue on Thursday.