HCM City (VNA) - The People’s Court of HCMCity on September 21 opened a trial of 17 suspects - who are members of “Trieudai Viet” (Viet Dynasty) - charged with “terrorism to oppose the people’sadministration” in line with Article 113 of the 2015 Penal Code.

The mastermind, 56-year-old Nguyen Khanh from thesouthern province of Dong Nai, and three others are also charged with “illegallymanufacturing, storing and trading explosives” under Article 305 of the 2015Penal Code.

The case relates to a violation of national security committed by “Trieu daiViet” that used terrorist acts aimed at overthrowing the Socialist Republic ofVietnam.

The organisation’s founder, Ngo Van Hoang Hung (also known as Ngo Hung), wasgiven the death penalty in 1979 (then commuted to a life sentence) in Vietnamfor “attempting to overthrow the administration”, but fled to Canada.

He established “Trieu dai Viet”, frequently using social networks to lurepeople, including Nguyen Khanh, to the organisation.

Hung promised to appoint Khanh “brigadier general andgovernor of Dong Nai province”, and sent a total of 144 million VND (6,215 USD) and 600 CAD (455USD) to Khanh to facilitate the operation.

Khanh used the money to buy 5 kg of explosives and 20 detonators from NguyenTrung Truc, born in 1982 and residing in the Central Highlands’ province of DakNong, and handed over 7 kg of explosives and 25 detonators he had purchased earlierto Duong Ba Giang, born in 1971 and residing in Dong Nai province, in order tocreate 10 remote-control explosive devices. 

Khanh asked Giang to give two explosive devices to 24-year-old Vu Hoang Namfrom HCM City and 27-year-old Duong Khac Minh from north-central Thanh Hoaprovince, and guided them on how to use the devices.  

Nam and Minh took the explosive devices, hidden in a backpack and a birthdaygift box, to the headquarters of Police of Ward 12 in HCM City’s Tan Binhdistrict on June 20, 2018.

Pretending to be a resident completing an administrativematter, Nam put the backpack in the reception area and the gift box in theparking area, and exploded the devices remotely. The two then fled to Dong Nai,where they met Khanh.

Khanh also handed over an explosive device to Nguyen Xuan Phuong with theintent to cause an explosion at the Tam Hiep ward police station in Bien Hoacity, Dong Nai province. Phuong, however, did nothing.

On June 23, 2018, Khanh gave three explosive devices to Nguyen Minh Tan, who,together with Pham Tran Phong Vu, caused an explosion at the headquarters of thepolice force in the Mekong Delta’s Hau Giang province on July 5, 2018.

Tan gave another explosive device to Hua Hoang Anh,who, instead of causing an explosion at the headquarters of the police force ofthe Mekong Delta’s Kien Giang province, put the device next to a power polenear his home in Minh Hoa commune in Kien Giang’s Chau Thanh district.

Khanh and his son Nguyen Tan Thanh, who was alsoKhanh’s accomplice, were arrested by HCM City police on June 26, 2018. Nam,Minh and others were caught later.

Police in Hau Giang and Kien Giang also arrested Tan, Vu, and others during theperiod from August 1 to August 7, 2018.

According to the indictment of the HCM City People’sProcuracy, the group’ deeds are extremely serious as they caused social dangerand directly violated national security as well as the legal rights andinterests of people and society.

The trial is scheduled to last for two days./.