TNAG-2390-FCO40-3472-Extradition-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-case-of-Lorrain-Esme-Os-1991 — Page 219

"FAR 3442"

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

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CONFIDENTIAL

слинка:

-M. Liaise with HKD there are in fact two

letters from M. Cahill

Fo whice, fi S. Coles

needs to reply. The

TO DESKBY 09093OZ F C Ŏ TELNO 2788

OF 09034OZ AUGUST 91

168

YOUR TELNO 1623: J COLES

い

076311

MDHIAN 1791

Ms. Stew B

muky. Ite Grave

V.

are in the read Had HKD are in the on this aspect of 20

et draft(s) I will and Lega Aures

cca_auce. LORRAIN OSMAN: LETTER FROM KEVIN CAHILL TO SIR

affait.

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8

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THE BACKGROUND TO KEVIN CAHILL'S LETTER IS AS FOLLOWS: IN THE COURSE OF THE LAYTON AND PICKEN TRIAL, A DOCUMENT WHICH HAD BEEN FOUND IN LAYTON'S POSSESSION WAS PRODUCED IN EVIDENCE. IT WAS 'A FILE NOTE MADE BY LAYTON OF A CONVERSATION THAT HE ALLEGEDLY HAD WITH WARWICK REID IN FEBRUARY 1988 CONCERNING THE PROSECUTION OF THE LOW BROTHERS OF KA WAH BANK. THE FILE NOTE BY LAYTON INDICATED THAT A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IN TAIWAN WAS IN A POSITION TO PROCURE THE RETURN OF TWO LOW BROTHERS (WANTED IN HONG KONG FOR A MASSIVE BANK FRAUD) AND THAT FOR THE SUM OF NT DOLLARS 2,500,000 PLUS AIR TICKETS THIS COULD BE ACHIEVED. IT WAS SAID THAT THE THEN DPP AND AG WERE AGREEABLE TO PAYING THIS MONEY IF THEIR NAMES WERE KEPT OUT OF IT. THAT NOTE WAS READ OUT IN COURT AND RESULTED IN THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST REPORTING ITS CONTENTS ON 9 JULY THIS YEAR. (WE ARE FAXING YOU SEPARATELY A COPY OF THE MORNING POST STORY).

2.

IT SEEMS THAT LAYTON DID PUT TO REID A PROPOSAL TO BRIBE OFFICIALS IN TAIWAN IN ORDER THAT THE LOW BROTHERS COULD BE SENT BACK TO HONG KONG. LAYTON WANTED TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THE THEN AG AND THE THEN DPP WOULD DECLINE TO PROSECUTE IF THEY WERE RETURNED TO HONG KONG UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES. THERE WAS NEVER ANY SUGGESTION THAT THE THEN AG (MICHAEL THOMAS), OR THE THEN DPP (JAMES FINDLAY) HAD EVER PROPOSED THAT TAIWANESE OFFICIALS BE BRIBED TO RETURN THE LOW BROTHERS. THEIR ATTITUDE WAS THAT THERE WOULD BE NO REASON NOT TO PROSECUTE IF THE LOW BROTHERS WERE BROUGHT BACK UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.

3.

THE DAY AFTER THE DOCUMENT WAS PRODUCED IN COURT THE LEADING COUNSEL FOR THE CROWN (JOHN SPOKES QC) MADE A STATEMENT THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE FORMER AG OR DPP WAS IN ANY WAY INVOLVED IN AN ARRANGEMENT TO PAY BRIBES TO HAVE THE LOW BROTHERS BROUGHT BACK FROM TAIWAN. WE ARE ALSO FAXING YOU SEPARATELY A COPY OF A TRANSCRIPT OF WHAT WAS SAID IN COURT BY SPOKES. DESPITE THE HOPE BY THE JUDGE THAT THE REMARKS WOULD BE NOTED BY THE

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CONFIDENTIAL