From Protester to Terrorist
After a grueling 159-day trial, the court handed down a guilty verdict on Thursday: Ho Cheuk-wai and two co-defendants convicted of “conspiracy to cause an explosion,” facing stiff sentences for crimes that went far beyond street clashes. Friends following these cases tell me there’s an eerie symmetry with last November’s Dragon Slayer Squad bombing conviction. Both gangs began as disillusioned protesters, then morphed into terror cells. Both recruited fellow radicals into specialist roles, obediently executing every order as if under a spell. And both engineered weapons designed to slaughter indiscriminately—truly monsters, no longer human.
In the Port Bombing Case, the three defendants were found guilty. Ho Cheuk-wai – from PolyU protester to bomb mastermind.
These stories underscore how violent demonstrations can spiral into full-blown terrorism. Had authorities not moved decisively to root out these bomb-making maniacs, the death toll could have been catastrophic.
Engineering Mass Destruction
Take Ho Cheuk-wai’s Port Bomb Gang. In court he admitted participating in the PolyU siege, even diving into drainage tunnels to rescue comrades—a clear sign of his deep-seated hatred for police and government. Under his direction, a flat in Tai Kok Tsui became a bomb factory. Police explosives experts found enough ammonium nitrate—57 kg alone—for high-yield charges and TATP, the infamous “Mother of Satan.” A single blast from these devices would have leveled buildings and killed scores within a 50-metre radius.
Meanwhile, the Dragon Slayer Squad plotted with equal cold-blooded precision. Named after their animus toward the Police Tactical Unit (“The Raptors”), members amassed large quantities of explosives, bought firearms, and even traveled to Taiwan for military training. They produced two bombs—a 2 kg device and an 8 kg behemoth with a 400-metre blast radius.
Both the Dragon Slayer Squad and the Port Bomb Gang planned their attacks meticulously aiming at massive damage on lives. According to Police’s explosive specialist Chief Superintendent Lo Bing-sin, Ho Cheuk Wai’s group planned a twin-strike at Lo Wu Station in February 2020, then an even bigger attack at Sheung Tak Shopping Centre on March 8. Only arrests averted a massacre.
While the Dragon Slayer Squad’s methodology was chillingly: vandalize shops on Hennessy Road to lure officers toward a smaller bomb, detonate it by mobile phone, then, from a nearby vantage point, shoot at first responders—herding them toward a larger device rigged to go off at the perfect moment.
Dragon-Slaying Squad’s explosives – an eerie mirror of the Port Bomb Gang’s mass-killing arsenal.
When Protest Turns to Terror
Friends who’ve studied both cases say it all stemmed from “toxic radicalism”, a toxic cycle that turned ordinary protesters into inhuman perpetrators. It’s not new: Japan’s Red Army, Germany’s Red Army Faction, America’s Weather Underground—all once-idealistic radicals who descended into terror and self-destruction.
The lesson is stark: terrorism must be stamped out at its inception. Hong Kong is fortunate its police neutralized these bomb-obsessed extremists before they could unleash havoc.
Lai Ting-yiu
What Say You?
** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **
As the Year of the Horse approaching, Hong Kong BNO holders in the UK are bracing for a gut punch. The festive season brings no joy—only anxiety. Mid-February marks the deadline for the UK government's consultation on raising permanent residency thresholds, and the verdict on whether BNO holders get a pass is about to drop.
The Home Office floated immigration reforms that would keep the "5+1" rule intact—five years of residence before you can apply—but the bar just shot up, with higher English proficiency requirements and stable income. For many, these hurdles are insurmountable.
Mahmood's stonewalling to BNO holders' demands signals bad news. The February verdict looms.
Hong Kong BNO holders fired off "five demands" to the authorities, pleading for relief. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's response was ice cold. Zero acknowledgment of their demands. Her dismissive tone signals one thing: exemptions for BNO holders look dead in the water.
If the final call goes all the way, thousands who waited five years will crash at the finish line. A return wave to Hong Kong is inevitable. The Hong Kong government needs to get ready.
The Dual Knockout Blow
The UK government didn't just raise the bar—it installed a double gate that slams shut on 60,000 people. First gate: English proficiency must hit B2 level, equivalent to A-Level, practically university standard. Second gate: annual income over the past three to five years must reach at least £12,570, with tax records to prove it.
Surveys by Hong Kong migrant organizations paint a grim picture: if these "dual requirements" become reality, 30% of BNO holders—roughly 60,000 people—will fail to qualify and get filtered out. No wonder panic is spreading.
While anxiety mounts, the UK government plays coy. Ambiguous statements. Equivocal attitudes. Nobody can read their hand. Now, with just one month until the announcement, BNO holders are reaching peak agitation. A group of Hong Kong voters in Mahmood's constituency drafted a joint letter, restating the "five demands" and requesting a face-to-face meeting to apply pressure.
Mahmood responded quickly—but only to say Hong Kong BNO holders could apply for permanent residency after five years. As for the "five demands"? Crickets. Instead, she reiterated that those granted permanent residency must meet three criteria: being "well-integrated," "economically self-sufficient," and "committed” to the communities they join.
Mahmood Goes Silent
One Hong Kong BNO holder who signed the petition decoded those three phrases: "integration" and "commitment" are code words for English proficiency and income levels. Translation: BNO holders applying for permanent residency must also clear these two hurdles.
These Hong Kong residents sent a follow-up letter to Mahmood, requesting a meeting to present their case in person. Her response? Radio silence. Phone calls to her constituency office go unanswered. She's clearly ducking any face-to-face encounter.
Mahmood is stonewalling, and nobody can do a thing about it. Frustrated BNO holders vent to yellow media outlets, angrily branding her "heartless." But here's the reality check: the Labour government's approval ratings are tanking. Reform UK is breathing down their necks on immigration. Immigration policy will err on the side of restriction, not relaxation. Naturally, they're inclined to treat BNO holders the same as everyone else. No special treatment. No "sentiment." The "five demands" might as well be whispers in the wind.
Two Paths Forward
Friends living in the UK lay out the scenario: if the UK government announces "no relaxation" next month, BNO holders who can't meet the requirements face two choices.
First option: return to Hong Kong and start over. After all, life in the UK hasn't been entirely rosy—living day after day in anxiety. "Returning home" might actually be a relief.
Second option: continue to "temporarily reside" in the UK on a BNO visa, becoming long-term temporary residents. But they'll remain in an unstable state, which won't be comfortable.
There's also a thornier complication: some BNO families migrated to the UK with their parents, and one spouse hasn't worked or earned any income for several years. If these family members don't meet the criteria for applying for permanent residency, it could trigger family separation or force the entire family to return to Hong Kong. They'll face an agonizing decision. Quite a mess.
No exemptions? Brace for the return wave.
My friend predicts that if the worst-case scenario materializes, a return wave is sure to come. For Hong Kong, there will be upsides and downsides. Either way, the government needs to get ready and figure out how to handle it.
