to cover the sið undress (or address panel) and the date stamp when
sealing sa anvelope with this Labal.
Sit here
ON HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE
----
19
T
HONG KONG DEPT.,
ROOM NO.
272, Mr Lay Evy; set
Mr Affliger
KING CHARLES
Press Cuttings.
Code 7,29,
S
H tatt
271.
ig 7.
xiety at first before iring the day, and the street w taking no ith
any thing which tely like an explosiva Hongkong has been the weekend's
bomb e anti-communist press the blame on
on local he Government is
as the rest of the it indirectly exonerated unists from suspicion with a
strement that: "On avail- able evidence, no known group or organization"
was developing a terrorist campaign.
Лежај Бит
ated yesterday by anouer vaina ties officer; but of the subjects of six
alarms today five proved com- pletely harmless
The three stock markets showed
Frat 14/1
+
peri
р
+
+
Cutting dated
THE TIMES
.3.0.MAR 1971
----------|--------------
+
19
False bomb alarms set puzzle in Hongkong 7
From Lco Goodstadt Hongkong, March 29
Hongkong seacled nervously today after yesterday's newspapers were
filled with dramatic pictures of Mr. Norman Hill; the British police
ballistics expert,
expert, whose whose night hand was blown off by a bomb
Saturday explosion night. Since then the public has reported a total of
seven suspected bombs.
One genuine bomb was deton- aled yesterday by another ballis- ties
officer; but of the subjects of ax alarms today five proved com- pletely
harmless
The three stock markets showed
7.
signs of anxiety at first before steadying during the day, and the man
in the street was taking no chances with
with anything which looked remotely like an explosive Hongkong has been
device, baffled by the weekend's bomb incident. The anti-communist press
local has put the blame on "reds". The Government is as mystified as the
rest of the Colony, but indirectly exonerated the communists from
suspicion with a statement that: "On avail. able evidence, no known
group of organization was developing a terrorist campaign.
ח
Frat 14/1
peri
!4k
FINANCIAL TIMES
cutting dated 30 MAR 19.71.... 19
+
Communists 'not behind
Hong Kong bomb attack
BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
A WAVE of jittery selling brought prices down on Hong Kong's three stock
exchanges to- day as Investors reacted sharply to a rash of bomb scares
which were all too reminiscent of the Communist violence of 1967.
Massive trading resulted in beavy turnover figures, and prices fell
across the board, even the best known shares being
affected.
Eight more bombs or sus sus picious objects were reported to-day of
which two at least were genuine. The only casualty so far has been
police ballisties officer Normal Hill whose right band was blown off
last Saturday evening wille he was attempting to disarm a bomb planted
near the central Government offices. "Bomber" Bill was awarded the MBE
for bis bravery in rendet ing dozens of bombs harmless during the riots
of 1967.
Government sources deprecata | the panic selling on the ex- changes,
arguing that the bombs
|
are not likely to prove the work of the Communists, since vio lenge is
completely at variance with Peking's current policies in Hong Kong and
elsewhere. Posters hung up near where bombs were found have called for
Chinese to be made the off fiel language of Hong Kong, "A issue which
the local Communist Press has completely ignored. The Hong Kong
Government, by implication, exonerated Pcking's local representatives
to-day with a statement that the bombs were not connected with any known
organisation.
Officials believe that the oul-j rages were deliberately timed to
coincide with the early release of seren
HONG KONG, March 29.
the work of the agents of Tal- wan's ruling Kuomintang. A few weeks ago
a self-confessed Taiwan agent was convicted and Imprisoned for keeping a
large cache of arms and explosives in a crowded residential building--
in preparation for guerilla raide across the border Into China.
Other theories bold that the
Imore
are:
bombs were planted by radical members of Hong Kong's "new left" students
some of whom
• group of workers and
known to be in favour of the revolutionary methods pioneered on American
and Euro- pean campuses and who have, heavily stressed the language;
Imprisoned in issue. Other theories are that the connection with the
1967 disturb bombs are the work of a splinter: ances. which
Sentences of the group, group of " renegade reds "-1 included three bomb
|| leftists planters, had been reduced by a China's new moderate
foreign!
who bitterly resent special review bourd. It is policies and who fear
they may thought likely that the recent be made scapegoats for the
scares represent
clumsy excesses of Nong Kong's attempt to incriminate the experience of
the eultural Communists and could thus be revolution.
H
**
+
ра
حکم
HC
SUNDAY EXPRESS
28 MAR 1971
Hong Kong row over decision 3 to free Reds
HONG KONG: Anger is mounting over the decl- sion of the Hong Kong
Government to free cight more Communist prisoners jalled for bomb
outrages and
and other offences in the 1967 rlots.
++
The latest release 25 Reds were freed last Febru-
ry- believed to be due to intense pressure by the British Government,
which wants to make a goodwill gesture to China,
It comes almost on the ere
Sunday Express Reporter
of the Canton Trade Pair at which Britain hopes to seal important trade
deals with Chinu. And it coines only a few days after Mr. Edward Heath
spoke in pear-glowing terms about the Chinese to a German newspaper, De
Well
Mr. Heath in rrugrted to have said Britain wants China in the United
Nations and believes the Chinese prople should be incorporated in an in-
creasing measure in the inter_ pational community.
The Prime Minister also mentioned that Britain's trade
+
had China.
developed well
with
Three of the eight prisoners were released immediately. The other fee
will be freed by the end of May.
Among the elekt notorious hard-line Reta serving jaɑl lerms of between
seven and 14 years. The last was not due for release untli 10977.
One is reported to be Chan Bha Jan, sentenced to 14 years for a bomb
outrage Which killed two chlidren. Three are women,
The 1967 riots caused 52 deaths.
Only hours after the releases were announced, a British here of the 1967
disturbances had his right arm blown off in new bomb outrage. He 15
Super niendent Norman HEL MBE, aged 54, chief ballisles offer of the
Hong Kong police and due to retire this year.
A bomb wrapped, brown paper
found in the central hovernment
While Hill was Inspecting it
there was an explosion. He is seriously til The outrage has sparked off
tears of shother Jeft-wing terror campaign.
ра
H.K..
Plasus tajều care to cover the old védres (or address panel) and the
date stamp when sealing an anvelope with this Label.
$lic ba
ON HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE
HONG KONG DEPT.,
ROOM NO.
M. Saminara
271,
KING CHARLES S 7.
ES
1971
JLL-
nb
nd
Press Cuttings.
Code 7.29.
19
: his
min dis-
----ng & package found outside the central Government offices when it
exploded, tearing away most of his hand.
He was taken to hospital where his arm had to be amputated Fin. below
the elbow, but he was reported to be in no danger. Mr. Hill bas served
as ballistics expert with the Hongkong police force since 1954. He was
appointed M.BE in 1968 after dismantling many explosive devices.
He was called out last night to inspect a small package wrapped in white
cloth discovered by a watchman. A Chinese poster near by, similar to
those accompanying bombings during the 1967 riots, carried the
warning: * Comps- triots keep clear".
E
р
w
НК
CHK
+
THE TIMES
Cutting dated
29 MAR 1971
riwarudiaHRRY---------
19
Hongkong bomb tears off policeman's hand
From Leo Goodstadt Hongkong, March 28
A British police officer lost his right hand in a bomb explosion in
Hongkong last night. Mr. Norman Hill, from Birmingham, was dis- mantling
a package found outside the central Government offices when it exploded,
tearing away most of his hand.
He was taken to hospital where his arm bad to be amputated 7in. below
the elbow, but he was reported to be in no danger. Mr. Hill has served
as ballistics expert with the Hongkong police force since 1954. He was
appointed M.B.E. in 1968 after dismantling many explosive devices.
He was called out last night to inspect a small package wrapped in white
cloth discovered by a watchman. A Chinese poster near by, similar to
those accompanying bombings during the 1967 riots, carried the warning:
Compe- triots keep clear".
H
р
·
w
-
+
EN CLAIR
F PNG KONG 32034. Z
UNCLASSIFIED
FECA
TOP COPY
TO ROUTINE F.C.0. TELEGRAM NUMBER 214 INFO PEKING.
[73
MY TELEGRAM NO. 213.
ри pon.
CLE
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF ARTICLE, BEGINS:
"LONDON FRESSES HONG KONG GOVERNMENT O RELEASE REDS.
THE LATEST REDUCTION OF JAIL SENTENCES OF COMMUNIST TERRORISTS
WAS RELUCTANTLY AG FEED TO BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
AFTER ''CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE** HAD BEEN APPLIED BY LONDON.
A TOP GOVERNMENT SCURCE REVEALED THIS YESTERDAY AFTER THE GOVERNOR, SIR
DAVID TRENCH, REDUCED THE JAIL TERMS OF EIGHT REDS AND A FORGER. THE
SOURCE, WHO ASKED NOT TO BE NAMED, SAID THE BRITISH GOVERNVENT HAD
PRESSED FOR THE RELEASE OF THE CONVICTED COMMUNISTS IN THE
INTERESTS OF IMPROVED RELATIONS WITH CHINA
THE GOVERNTENT ACCOUNCED THE REDUCTION OF SENTENCES AFTER THE FORGER
AID TWO REDS YERE RELEASED FROM STANLEY PRISON, DRIVEN TO VICTORIA
REMAND CENTRE IN CENTRAL AND FREED.
THE OTHER SIX COMMUNISTS WILL BE FREED AT THE END OF THE MONTH. THE
RELIABLE SOURCE SAID THE FOREIGN AND COLONIAL OFFICE HAD ASKED FOR THE
RELEASE OF THE PRISONERS. IT WAS NOT KNOWN IF
THE CONVICTS WERE SPECIFICALLY NAMED OR IF THE RECUEST WAS MADE
IN GENERAL FORM.
SIR DAVID'S DECISION FOLLOWED RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE PRISON BLARD
OF REVIEW, WHICH STUDIES INDIVIDUAL CASES AND MAKES REPORTS W WHETHER
THERE ARE GROUNDS FOR REDUCTION OF SENTENCES.
ONCE AGAIN, THEY FOUND THERE WERE GROUNDS FOR RELEASING RED TERRORISTS -
AND SIR DAVID GAVE HIS CONSENT.
THE CRIMINALS WERE SERVING JAIL TERMS RANGING FROM SEVEN TO
14 YEARS.
MOST WERE JAILED FOR BOMB CFFENCES OR OTHER SERIOUS CRIMES.
THREE VERE WOMEN'* ENDS.
/2. FOLLOWING IS
2.
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF EDITORIAL. BEGINS.
** FREEING THE RED TEPRORISTS.
THE DECISION TO CUT THE JAIL TERMS IMPOSED GI: RED TERRORISTS DURING THE
1967 DISTURBANCES IS ONE WHICH MAY ATTRACT STRONG OPOSITION.
THE MEN AND WOMEN, DEDICATED TO THE OVERTHROW OF HONG KONG AUTHORITY BY
FORCE, ARE NOW BEING FREED BEFORE THEY HAVE SERVED THE SENTENCES HANDET
DOWN BY IMPARTIAL BRITISH COURTS.
THIS IS NO WAY TO TELL THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THAT THEY VILL EE
FACTECTED AGAINST CUTSIDE FORCES WHICH THREATEN THEIR WAY OF LIFE.
THESE REVOLUTIONARIES WERE SENTENCED TO LONG JAIL TERMS NOT BECAUSE OF
THEIR POLITICAL BELIEFS, BUT BECAUSE THEY WERE VIOLENT CRIMINALS.
NOBOTY WILL BUY THE GOVERNMENT EXPLANATION THAT THESE MEN ARE TREATED
LIKE OTHER CRIMINALS. IT IS OBVICUS THEY ARE NOT. IT IS CRVIGUS THEY ARE
GETTING SPECIAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND THE
IMPROVING RELATIONS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA.
DO THEY DESERVE THESE SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS?
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS BEING PRODDED TO RELEASE THESE TERRORISTS BY
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY LIES IN DOWNING
STREET NOT IN ALBERT ROAD.
IT IS INTERESTING TO CONSIDER THE VIEWPOINT OF THE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN
OF HONG KONG WHO DEFIED THE RET, RIGTERS TO KEEP CUR SOCIETY FREE, AND
HOW THEY WILL REGARD THE KID-GLOVE TREATMENT OF THESE MEN.
"ND THEIR OPINIONS ARE THE ONES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS BEING MORE
IMPORTANT THAN THE OPINIONS OF THE MEN IN FEXING WHO MASTERMINDED THE
UPHEAVAL AGAINST CUR GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES FIUR S-CRT YEARS GO''.
ENDS.
TRENCH
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
FED
HKD
PUSD
NEWS D
}
ht
2
+
CYPHER CAT/A
FM HONG KONG 300345Z
SECRET
13
TOP ON
SECRET
Fax 14/
TO F.C.O. TELEGRAM NUMBER 213 OF 30 MARCH INFO PEKING.
MY TELEGRAM NO. 198 TO YOU: CONFRONTATION PRISONERS.
fre
MY TELEGRAM NO. 214 CONTAINS THE TEXT OF A REPORT WHICH APPEARED
IN THE HONG KONG STANDARD OF 28 MARCH WITHOUT A DATELINE OR A
SOURCE.
2. WE HAVE TRIED TO FIND OUT FROM THE STANDARD WHAT WAS THE ORIGIN OF
THIS REPORT BUT THEY HAVE BEEN UNWILLING TO GIVE US ANY INFORMATION
EXCEPT THAT THE 'TOP GOVERNMENT SCURCE' WAS '*OVER- SEAS''. THIS OF
COURSE MAY OR MAY NOT BE TRUE: AND INDEED THE
AND STORY MAY HAVE BEEN FOUNDED ON SPECULATIONS ARISING FROM, FOLLOWING
UP, SOMEWHAT SIMILAR STORIES PUBLISHED HERE EARLIER IN THE YEAR (MY
TELEGRAM NO. 29 TO MONSCH REFERS).
3. MY TELEGRAM NO. 214 ALSO CARRIES THE TEXT OF THE LEADING ARTICLE IN
THE SAME ISSUE OF THE STANDARD AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE DAMAGE TO
CONFIDENCE IN HMG SUCH STORIES CAN DO. I SHALL BE REPORTING REACTIONS TO
THE LATEST RELEASES MORE FULLY LATER, HOWEVER, AND AM CONCERNED HERE
MORE WITH THE DISTURBING FACT THAT STORIES ON MATTERS AS DELICATE AS
THIS CANNOT APPARENTLY BE AVOIDED.
4. I HAVE KEPT KNOWLEDGE OF THE TELEGRAMS EXCHANGED ON THIS SUBJECT TO A
VERY SMALL (OFFICIAL) CIRCLE INDEED, BUT AM NEVERTHELESS EXAMINING THE
POSSIBILITY THAT A LEAK MAY HAVE CCCURRED IY HONG KONG. I SHOULD BE MOST
GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD ALSO MAKE ENQUIRIES AT YOUR END, PRINCIPALLY TO
ENSURE THAT IF THERE HAVE BEEN BREACHES OF SECURITY THEY DO NOT CONTINUE
TO OCCUR.
TRENCH
/REPEATED AS REQUESTED/
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
दे
FED
HKD
PUSO
NEWS D
SECRET
PRIORISY
EN
IR
CONFIDENTIAL
FN PEKING 26082μZ
UNCLASS
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 275 OF 26 MARCH 1971 AND INFO TO
HONG KONG.
YOUR TEL NO 170.
ACTION TAK EN
DEN SON
CONFRONTATION PRISONERS]
DEFARADENTAL DISTRIBUZION
IR.
TED
HEND
FU.3D
L
CONFIDENCIAL
72
IMMEDIATE
EX
Τ
AIR
FM F C O 2511127
UNCLASSIFIED
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
(FEDAHI
71
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING TELEGRAM NO. 170 OF 25 MARCH INFO PRIORITY
HONG KONG.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 269. [CONFRONTATION PRISONERS/
WE AGREE.
DOUGLAS-HOME
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
FED
HKD
CONFIDENTIAL
NNNNN
•
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287
370
112
Registry No.
DEPARTMENT
FEB
PRIORITY MARKINGS
SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
(Date)
*
Despatched
Date and time (G.M.T.) telegram should
reach addressee(1)
117
➖➖➖ ➖➖ ➖➖-------
IL
75
Irr?
HILL.' L.L ..
IMN FUNTE
TOPEX UNCLASSIFIED
25/1/22
--.
Te
Secret
La pilule on Confluencial
251//22
PRIVACY MARKING
In Confidence
Flash Immedines Priority Routine
[Security classification [Security_classification]
En Clair.
[
Privacy marking -if any
[Codeword-if any]
BE WRITTEN IN THIS M
Corte Cyphax-
Draft Telegram to:-
Xpering 140
(Date)
IIMINNIIWELERS
And to:-
Repeat to:-
Pronty to X Hangkang
NOTHING
25/7/0/0
И
25/3
Saving to:-
Distribution:--
25/11
Деривате
PED
HK Ogr
Sir L Monson Copies to:-
-PULD⋅
1
יו
Addressed to
Pering
telegram No.
yo
(date).
2875
And to
+
.
Hong Kong (Priority)
repeated for information to
Saving to
-----
Your telegram No. 269. [confrontation Prienes]
We agree.
IMA 25/3
CS. KA
2600077
10,000-6/70-87495
CONFIDENTIAL
61
REF. SCR 7/3371/68 II
J AL Morgan Esq FED
F CO
Dear John.
CONFRONTATION PRISONERS
COLONIAL SECRETARIAT
LOWER ALBERT ROAD
HONG KONG
24 March, 1971.
Copy to her. Witterd
|MAZ"/
+3
M
3
I hope our telegram No.198 of 19 March gave you a pleasant surprise. In
our earlier telegram No.108 of 19 February ve said in paragraph 7 that
the Board of Review would meet on 18 March to consider about eight more
confrontation prisoners "but they are more difficult cases than this
batch and I do not expect the Board to recommend reductions in sentence
in more than a proportion of them". We also warned that even if
sentences vere reduced it did not necessarily mean very early release. I
therefore ove you some explanation of how it was that the Board's
meeting on 18 March did lead to the release of eight in the very near
future.
2.
It turned out that the Board of Review on 18 March had 11 confrontation
prisoners to consider, not eight, because three cases came up for review
in the ordinary course of business. Two of them were the life sentence
prisoners. The Attorney General thought it reasonable to convert the
life sentences into specific sentences but he encountered very strong
opposition from Mrs. Ellen LI who was not in favour of any such change
or, if reluctantly persuaded to agree, would have insisted on very long
terms (in the 20 or 30 year category rather than in the 12 or 15 years).
The Attorney General therefore abandoned that argument and got the Board
to agree that they might consider the question at a future meeting.
3.
It then turned out that Mrs. Ellen LI had vented all her feelings on the
question of the two life prisoners and vas feeling much more sympathetic
to the reduction of sentences on the others, They all went through
without much difficulty. vere as surprised as you no doubt were.
4.
We
In our telegram No.198 of 19 March we have again varned that the next
meeting of the Board of Reviev may not be so productive. Once again ve
mean it. We shall be lucky indeed if there is another accident in our
favour of the kind we enjoyed on 18 March. At present we expect 13
confrontation prisoners to be considered at the June meeting but there
may be one or two more that come up then in the ordinary course of
business.
5.
I enclose copies of the list of names promised in para- graph 3 of our
telegram No.198.
Copied to: J_B. Denson Esq OBE
penson
{Peking)
ever
your
Mother!
(A.F. Maddocks)
CONFIDENTIAL
good.
MW.
CONFRONTATION PRISONERS FOR RELEASE FOLLOWING THE GOVERNOR'S DECISIONS
AFTER BOARD OF REVIEW MEETING ON 18th MARCH, 1971.
(Hong Kong telegram No.198 of 19 March 1971 to F.C.O. and No.200 of 23
March to F.C.0.
Previous earliest date of discharge
Present release date
Name
Prison No.
Sentence
(years)
1
CHOW Wing-cheong
28850
8
15.3.73
27.3.71
2.
LEE Man-vai
28849
10
16.7.74
27.3.71
3.
CHAN Shu-nan
30694
14
15.4.77
15.4.71
4.
CHAN Yuen-yu
F 383
7
28.8.72
28.4.71
5.
LI Kvai-fong
F 382
8
28.4.73
28.4.71
6.
KWAN King
F 384
8
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