CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1574
CONFIDENTIAL
112022 MDHIAN 0415
HKB 177 |A
RE
OF 141245Z MAY 90
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
MY TELNO 1506: INCIDENT ON 3 MAY IN HONG KONG WATERS
1. LEGCO MEMBER MRS MIRIAM LAU HAS PUT DOWN FOR ANSWER ON 16 MAY THE FOLLOWING LEGCO QUESTION:
WITH REFERENCE TO THE INCIDENT ON 3 MAY 1990 INVOLVING THE ALLEGED ABDUCTION OF TWO HONG KONG POLICEMEN FROM HONG KONG WATERS BY CHINESE SECURITY OFFICIALS, CAN THE ADMINISTRATION INFORM THIS COUNCIL:-
(A) WHAT WERE THE TRUE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE INCIDENT: AND
(B) WHETHER OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN INCIDENTS OF CHINESE BOATS CARRYING ARMED OFFICIALS STRAYING INTO HONG KONG WATERS, AND IF SO, HOW DID THE MARINE POLICE DEAL WITH SUCH INCIDENTS?
2. HAVING AS YET RECEIVED NO RESPONSE TO OUR REQUEST FOR DISCUSSIONS ON BORDER LIAISON CHANNELS, WE HAVE SOUGHT TO PERSUADE MRS LAU TO HOLD HER QUESTION OVER FOR A FURTHER WEEK, BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE QUESTION WILL THEREFORE BE ASKED AND THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR SECURITY WILL REPLY ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:
THE FACTS OF THE INCIDENT AS WE KNOW THEM ARE AS FOLLOWS:
THE POLICE ORGANISED AN OPERATION ON 2 MAY AGAINST A GROUP WHO WERE BELIEVED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE THEFT OF CARS WITH THE INTENTION OF SMUGGLING THE VEHICLES TO CHINA. THE OPERATION INVOLVED THE HIRE BY TWO MEMBERS OF THE POLICE, WORKING UNDER COVER, OF A LIGHTER AND A TUGBOAT, TOGETHER WITH THEIR 5-MAN CREW. THE VESSELS WERE MOORED AT THE PIER AT TAP SHEK KOK AT 8.00 PM ON 2 MAY. AN AMBUSH WAS SET BY OTHER POLICE OFFICERS SURROUNDING THE PIER.
JUST AFTER 10.00 PM A SPEEDBOAT CAME TO THE SIDE OF THE LIGHTER. IN IT WERE 5 MEN IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE CHINESE OFFICIAL UNIFORM, AND ONE MAN IN PLAIN CLOTHES. THE LATTER BOARDED THE LIGHTER AND
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