(
GR 470
CYPHER CAT A
PRIORITY
FM HONG KONG 120820Z
CONFIDENTIAL
Original at: HKK
This Copy for:
HKK 344/1
Information only / Action on Pera(s)
CONFIDENTIAL
TO PRIORITY F C O TELNO 872 OF 12 JULY 1978
INFO FRIORITY PEKING.
Akk alt 10.51
RECENTCOM NO. 51. 12 JUL 1978..
INDEX
OFFICER
PA
REGITRY Action Taxga
कृ
NORS ishi 4
74
SORDER INCIDENT.
3
CN 10 JULY A SHOOTING INCIDENT OCCURRED NEAR THE WESTERN END OF THE SHUM CHUN RIVER. A GURKHA MILITARY PATROL SPOTTED TWO SUSPECTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS COMING FROM THE RIVER TOWARDS THE
VILLAGE OF MAI PO AT 5.30 AM. THE TWO MEN SAW THE PATROL AND RAN BACK TOWARDS THE RIVER. AT THAT POINT A JUNK (SIMILAR TO THOSE USED BY THE CHINESE FOR ANTI-ESCAPE PATROLS) CAME UP THE RIVER. IT HAD FOUR MEN ON BOARD. THREE, ONE OF WHOM CARRIED A RIFLE, WERE IN SOME FORM OF UNIFORM. THE MAN WITH THE RIFLE FIRED THREE SHOTS WOUNDING BOTH SUSPECTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, ONE PROBABLY SERIOUSLY. TWO PEOPLE LANDED ON THE BRITISH SIDE OF THE RIVER AND PICKED UP THE WOUNDED MEN. THE NEAREST MEMBER OF THE GURKHA PATROL WAS FIFTY YARDS AWAY WHEN THE SHOOTING STARTED. HE WAS UNARMED AND TOOK COVER TO OBSERVE. THOSE ON THE JUNK MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THE PATROL.
WHAT
2. THE POLITICAL ADVISER TODAY GAVE FULL DETAILS OF
HAPPENED TO TWO MEMBERS OF THE NCNA. HE SAID THAT IT
WAS A VERY SERIOUS INCIDENT. NOTHING OF THE SORT HAD HAPPENED FOR
MANY YEARS. BESIDES THE SERIOUSNESS OF FIRING AT SOMEBODY ON OUR SIDE OF THE BORDER AND THEN LANDING, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN
A GRAVE RISK TO OUR SECURITY FORCES OR OTHER CIVILIANS. WE COULD
NOT TELL WITH CERTAINTY WHO HAD BEEN INVOLVED SINCE THE BOAT HAD NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED, HOWEVER, FROM THE EVIDENCE AVAILABLE, IT SEEMED ALMOST CERTAIN THAT THE BOAT HAD COME FROM THE CHINESE SIDE HE WAS PASSING ON ALL THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO US SO THAT THE KWANGTUNG AUTHORITIES COULD CARRY OUT AN APPROPRIATE INVESTIGATIO
༥ ་
/:3.
3. THE NCNA
CONFIDENTIAL