HÀ NỘI — The so-called Provisional National Government of Việt Nam was a terrorist organisation under Vietnamese and international law, the Ministry of Public Security of Việt Nam said yesterday.

The ministry’s announcement was posted on its portal.

According to the announcement, the “Chính phủ quốc gia Việt Nam lâm thời” (Provisional National Government of Việt Nam) was previously known as the “Tân Dân Chủ” (New Democracy) organisation.

It said the organisation was headquartered at 2807 Anaheim, California 92814, in the United States - and even gave its office phone number and websites.

The Viet Nam News Agency (VNA) said the organisation was led by Đào Minh Quân (Đào Văn), a US national in Santa Ana, California, the US. It added that he was born on July 27, 1952, in the central province of Thừa Thiên-Huế and had proclaimed himself the prime minister of the “Provisional National Government of Việt Nam.”

The agency said other organisers included Quách Thế Hùng, born on April 1, 1948, and residing at 5386 Somerset St, Los Angeles, California 90032; Kelly Triệu (Triệu Thanh Hoa), a US national born in 1968; and Phạm Lisa (Phạm Anh Đào) born in 1979 and residing at 614 Progressive Way, Denmark, South California.

"The so-called Provisional National Government of Việt Nam was established in the US in 1991 by Đào Minh Quân, a former lieutenant in the Sài Gòn puppet army, and other puppet forces," it added.

"After the establishment, Quân and other heads of the organisation visited Vietnamese refugee camps in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia to recruit forces. The recruited refugees were later repatriated in order to conduct terror and sabotage activities in Việt Nam.

"In 2015, the heads of the organisation instructed underground units in Việt Nam to develop forces and establish volunteer delegations, seek venues to set up bases, and purchase weapons to prepare for spontaneous terror acts."

However, VNA said their plots were promptly uncovered by Vietnamese security agencies, with Hà Ngọc Hân, Mai Xuân Nghĩa, Lương Tuấn Vinh, and Nguyễn Văn Hội arrested.  Mai Xuân Nghĩa fled to Laos and then infiltrated back into Việt Nam together with Đào Quang Thực. The duo made a plan to buy weapons for terror attacks, but they were uncovered and arrested by Vietnamese agencies.

In 2017, the heads of the “Provisional National Government" living outside Việt Nam stepped up efforts to expand forces and formed such groups as “Phượng Hoàng”, “Mãng Xà”, “Biệt động quân” and “Đại Việt” aiming to terrorise, sabotage and assassinate officials.

VNA said they sent Phan Angel (Phan Thị Đào, a US national born in 1956) and Nguyen James Han (Nguyễn Thanh Hân, a US national born in 1967) to Việt Nam to provide finance and directly instruct sabotage activities.

Under the instruction of the heads of the organisation, members living in Việt Nam used a petrol-bomb to destroy 320 vehicles violating traffic laws that were being stored in a warehouse in Biên Hòa City in the southern province of Đồng Nai on April 8, 2017.

They also planted petrol bombs at a parking lot and entrance gate of the international terminal of Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport in HCM City on April 22, 2017. They planned to carry out other plots to cause explosions at headquarters of several public agencies and a number of factories. However, their plans were stopped by competent Vietnamese agencies.

In April, 2017, competent Vietnamese agencies launched legal proceedings and detained 15 people on charges of  “conducting terrorism against the people’s administration” in line with Article 84 of Việt Nam’s 1999 Penal Code.

In December, 2017, the HCM City People’s Court tried and sentenced those involved from four to16 years in prison.

According to yesterday’s announcement, the “Provisional National Government of Việt Nam” is a terrorist organisation, therefore, anyone, who participates in propagandising and inciting others to join, sponsor, and receive sponsorship from the organisation, take part in the organisation’s training courses, and follow instructions from the organisation, has committed “terrorism” or is a “terrorist sponsor” and will be treated according to Việt Nam law.— VNS