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INWARD TELEGRAM
FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
(The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (0.A.G.)
Cypher
Do
21 July, 1967.
1?
11452
Ro
21
IMMEDIATE
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No. 1086.
For Galsworthy.
334
Your telegram 1491.
Confrontation.
336
08820
(a)
The answers to your questions are:-
none of the persons in question so far arrested is a British subject but a number of our targets (against whom we have so far deliberately not acted) will be British subjects, particularly in the new territories where a large percentage of those playing a leading role in the confrontation are Hong Kong born.
(b) There are very strong security objections to putting
aliens (who may be represented by Counsel) before the existing detention tribunals in that much of the evidence against those of special intelligence and security interest is based on reports from highly delicate sources which we would not wish to compromise.
(c)
@
2.
I have not yet given detailed thought to the composition
of the Committee of Review. This would be an
advisory body to the Executive and unlikely therefore to include a judicial officer. I would expect at least one prominent Chinese unofficial to be a member.
Although there are no British subjects at present detained, other than for criminal offences, I would like to move against selected targets in the near future. Therefore whilst
I can defer immediate promulgation of these regulations, I should be grateful for early clearance.
(Passed to D.S.A.0. for F.E. Dept. Foreign Office and Private Office for Commonwealth Secretary)
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