Bomb plot aimed at forcing border closure during Covid, Hong Kong court hears

Bombs planted at a hospital and an MTR station were aimed at forcing the government to close Hong Kong’s borders during the Covid-19 pandemic four years ago, the High Court heard as the city’s second trial under a UN anti-terrorism law opened on Friday.

The prosecution has accused four men and three women of conspiring to plant at least three bombs, and charged an eighth defendant with trying to make explosives.

The first bomb detonated inside a male toilet in the emergency department at Caritas Medical Centre in Sham Shui Po on January 27, 2020, prosecutor Priscilia Lam Tsz-ying told the nine High Court jurors.

While no one was injured, a claim was later made on a public Telegram channel that another attack would be carried out if the government did not close the borders, the court heard.

“This smoke bomb acted as the first warning. We will plant real bombs next time,” the message, which was read out in court, said.

At the time, Hong Kong authorities had shut down some land checkpoints at the mainland China border, but others remained open, including the Lo Wu crossing.