GR 500
PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY NO. 51 15AUG1977
LAST
Par.
(19)
20
FM HONG KONG 121046Z
NKK 404/1
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY KINSHASA TELNO.2 OF 12 AUGUST.
YOUR TELNO.3: SUITCASE MYSTERY.
TOP COPY
į
OF CONTENTS OF
1. PRESUMABLY NOTE OF PROTEST ABOUT LEAKAGE OF CONTENTS OF DOCUMENTS WAS THAT CONTAINED WITH ARTHUR'S LETTER OF 27 APRIL TO DRACE-FRANCIS (NOTE DATED 13 APRIL 1977 FROM THE FOREIGN
'UNE GRAVE AFFAIRS MINISTRY TO THE BRITISH AMBASSADOR ATTENTE AU SECRET DE LAY CORRESPONDANCE DIPLOMATIQUE.'')
S
2. FACTS ARE THAT SUITCASE ARRIVED FROM PARIS ON AN AIR FRANCE FLIGHT ON 10 JULY 1976. THE SUITCASE WAS UNLABELLED AND WHEN IT HAD LAIN UNCLAIMED FOR NEARLY NINE MONTHS, THE HONG KONG AIR
CARGO TERMINALS COMPANY LIMITED BECAME WORRIED ABOUT THE MOUNTING STORAGE CHARGES AND DECIDED, IN ACCORDANCE WITH NORMAL PRACTICE, TO OPEN THE SUITCASE TO AUCTION THE CONTENTS TO DEFRAY THE ACCUMULATED CHARGES. THE AIR CARGO COMPANY COULD NOT FIND OUT WHO THE CONSIGNER OR CONSIGNEE WAS. +
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3. WHEN OPENED, THE GUNS AND AMMUNITION CAME TO LIGHT AND ACCORDINGLY THE ROYAL HONG KONG POLICE FORCE WERE SUMMONED. IT WAS DISCOVERED ALSO THAT ONE OF THE ENVELOPES HAD ALREADY BEEN OPENED. IT IS ALMOST CERTAIN THAT THIS HAD BEEN DONE BEFORE THE SUITCASE REACHED HONG KONG, BUT OF COURSE WE CANNOT BE SURE. THE MATERIAL WHICH APPEARED IN THE DISTORTED FORM IN THE HONG KONG PRESS HAD BEEN LEAKED FROM THE DOCUMENT WHICH WAS IN THE OPENED ENVELOPE.
4. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY WHO GLANCED AT THE DOCUMENT AND PASSED ON SOME ORAL INFORMATION TO THE HONG KONG STANDARD. THE DOCUMENTS THEMSELVES WERE NEVER SEEN BY THE PRESS, AS FAR AS WE KNOW.
CONFIDENTIAL
15.