LONDON (AP) – British police have charged three men with aiding Hong Kong intelligence, amid growing concerns that a hostile state is trying to interfere in Britain’s democracy and economic life.
The three were among 11 people arrested by counter-terrorism police in Yorkshire and London earlier this month, using new legislation that allows suspects in national security and espionage cases to be detained without a warrant. . The other eight suspects were released without charge.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, Chee Leung (Peter) Wai, 38, Matthew Trickett, 37, and Chong Biu Yuen, 63, have also been charged with foreign interference. They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
‘Axis of dictatorships’: British PM Sunak warns of the most dangerous era since the Cold Warhttps://t.co/IDkTn5vEkh
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“A number of arrests and searches have taken place across England as part of this investigation,” Commander Dominic Murphy, the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism commander, said in a statement. “The counter-terrorism police network led from London will be vital in stopping this activity.”
The announcement comes as Chancellor Rishi Sunak prepares for a speech on Monday, in which he says the UK is increasingly threatened by an “axis of authoritarian states” including Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. It is expected that the world will face a different future. South Korea. Tensions with China escalated last year after a National Diet researcher was arrested on suspicion of spying for the Chinese government. The charges are called “malicious slander” by Chinese authorities.
The Hong Kong Security Bureau, Hong Kong Police and the Hong Kong office of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not respond to requests for comment.
Last year, the British government passed new national security legislation giving police additional powers to deal with foreign espionage. The government said the bill was needed to counter the “evolving” threat of foreign interference and “respond to the threat of hostile state activity targeting Britain’s democracy, economy and values”. .
Arrests in this case were made on May 1 and 2, and police say the investigation is continuing.
