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G.F. 323
CONFIDENTIAL
2.
are (a) the booby-trapped straw effigy hanging from a traffic signal at Whitty Street Tram Terminus which exploded on 26th July injuring 10 people including several children and (b) the parcel left in Ching Wah Street, North Point which killed two small children (out of a number who had been playing in the area) on 20th August.
5.
When the radio commentator, LAM Bun, and his cousin were doused with petrol in their car and burnt alive on 24th August there were fears that a trend towards attacks on individuals would develop. However, apart from the postal bomb (in fact with a very weak charge) delivered to the Hon. Y, K, Kan as a riposte to his out-spoken rejection of terrorism, there have been no further individual assassination attempts with explosives. There has so far been no bomb campaigns against Europeans as such.
6.
However, in the past few weeks there have been examples of more deliberate planned attempts to attack the security forces with bombs, and this trend may possibly develop further. That the bomb- planters wished to hit at the bomb disposal teams has been apparent from the booby traps which have been fitted to them, but a variation in tactics has appeared since mid-August showing the deliberate intention of hitting at Police parties. For instance
7.
(a)
(b)
(c)
on 13th August in the Johnston Road area of Wanchai a Police Light Striking Force was attacked with bombs by an unruly crowd. The crowd was dispersed and a box of cast-metal grenades was then found on the tram tracks. When a bomb disposal team arrived to deal with the grenades yet another bomb was thrown at them,
On 12th September, a banner was strung across Queen's Road Central near its junction with Wellington Street and Jervois Street. When a police party approached it, a bomb in the form of a tin containing nails and metal fragments was detonated electrically from a nearby alley. Two policemen and an army ballistics officer were slightly injured.
On the evening of 19th September, two bombs were thrown at a police light striking force in Nathan Road, Mongkok injuring five policemen and 24 civilians. Other examples have since occurred of bomb disposal teams coming under attack by bombs thrown from buildings.
On 23rd September a real bomb was discovered outside the Commodore's House in Bowen Road. On the morning of 24th, the day of the Governor's return from leave, two bombs were placed near the east gate of Government House. On the same day a number of hoaxes were also found bearing insulting references to the Governor.
8.
Control and Organisation.
Information available to date indicates that bombs are being manufactured and planted by small groups and that these groups are
CONFIDENTIAL
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