AIR MAIL
SCR 12/5701/67
583
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OTG
SPORET
15
COLONIAL SECRETARIAT,
HONG KONG.
23 December, 1967
Викиз
Thank you for your letter HWB 14/40 dated
17 November, 1967.
2.
-
Since the last appreciation of the bomb campaign up to the end of September - forwarded to you with my saving despatch No. 386 of 26 October there has in fact been little technical development in bombs. A few of the new devices found, particularly electric detonating devices, do perhaps indicate a greater degree of sophistication, but these are certainly not yet widespread. The bombs have recently become much fewer, as you will be aware.
3...
At the same time, as your letteroindicates, there has been a greater selectivity of types of targets; police vehicles, security forces, a magistrate. But apart from this last, these still appear to be targets selected at random and not to be the result of a greater degree of central direction and careful planning.
mh
A detailed appreciation of the bomb campaign up to date is now being prepared and will be forwarded toyou shortly.
시
4.
26760+
01
5. gbs Turning to your second paragraph, we have had the question of stiffer prison sentences for bomb offences under consideration for many months: indeed we have taken the view that the imposition of a mandatory death penalty could only be considered in relation to the adequacy of the prison sentences already permissible under existing laws. These provide for imprisonment of up to 14 years or life, and in some cases up to 20 years' imprisonment for a wide range of offences involving explosives, and there are no grounds for supposing that stiffer sentences would act as a deterrent.
6.
1
On the question of mandatory minimum sentences, for example not less than 14 years imprisonment for possession of explosives, we are reasonably sure in our own minds that these would not deter dedicated Communists,
LAST PAPER
W.S. Carter, Esq., C.V.O.,
Commonwealth Office,
Curtis Green Building, LONDON, S.W.IRECEIVED IN
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23.668
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