The only woman in the dock in a Hong Kong trial involving an alleged 2019 bomb plot designed to target police knew money she crowdfunded for the “Dragon Slaying Brigade” was used to buy firearms and incendiaries, the prosecution told the High Court on Monday.
Prosecutor Juliana Chow Hoi-ling told the nine-strong jury that Lau Pui-ying, said to have co-managed a Telegram channel between November and December 2019 with brigade leader Wong Chun-keung, had helped the group to appeal for donations to support illegal activities.
“No matter what teams you belong to, hope you all will carry through the spirit of ‘slaying dragon’. Let’s kill the ‘dogs’!” one of the messages said to have been sent by Lau read.
Chow explained the meaning of the phrases and suggested what Lau really meant was “taking the lives of police”.
“What the [channel] had promoted was far from appealing to the public to protest,” she told the court. “It was not that simple and Lau apparently knew it.”
Chow read out private messages between Lau and Wong which suggested the two had drafted and discussed messages posted on the Telegram channel.
The prosecution earlier alleged Lau was kept in the loop about the activities of the brigade, including the acquisition of incendiary devices.
Lau, who is in her mid-twenties, has denied a conspiracy charge that she provided or collected property to commit terrorist acts under the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Ordinance during the 2019 protests.
Another six men have pleaded not guilty to alleged involvement in a plot to plant two bombs on Hennessy Road in Wan Chai on December 8, 2019.
Wong was jointly charged with the offences and pleaded guilty.
He also appeared as a prosecution witness to testify against Lau. Wong said he considered Lau a brigade member, but added she did not take part in front line protests.
Chow alleged a new Telegram channel to promote and crowdfund the brigade was set up in early November 2019, with Lau mostly responsible for its management.
Chow several times told the jury during her closing statement that they had to set aside any personal political views and the demands that protestors had made of the government in 2019.
She said they had to focus on the conduct of the defendant, who is alleged to have committed an offence designed to endanger the safety for others for her political beliefs.
The court earlier heard that Lau was arrested at the airport on December 9, 2019 as she returned to the city from Taiwan.
Wong and bomb plot mastermind Ng Chi-hung were taken into custody the day before and the planned attack never happened.
The court heard that messages between Lau and a friend on the day before she decided to return to the city showed, despite knowing Wong had been arrested, she believed he would not implicate her.
Chow told the jury it had to decide whether Lau was guilty of helping the brigade to carry out unlawful actions, whether they were related to the December 8 bomb plot or not.
The case continues on Tuesday, when defence lawyers will begin their closing statements.
