In May 2019, a 21-year-old man was sentenced to five years in prison after he was found guilty of conspiracy to cause explosions in a foiled Hong Kong bomb plot. The man, Briton Christopherbut Wyllie, was accused of belonging to an extremist group that planned to “use violence to achieve political goals” in the former British colony. According to reports, the group planned to build four bombs, which they intended to detonate at various locations throughout the city.
Wyllie was arrested in October 2017 after attempting to obtain bomb-making materials from mainland China that were to be used in the plot. He was found guilty of four counts of conspiracy to cause explosions in Hong Kong, and one count of possessing bomb-making materials.
The court found that Wyllie had played an active role in helping the group obtain the necessary materials for the plot, and had also gone to mainland China to try to collect the materials personally. The court said that Wyllie had acted recklessly and without regard for the safety of Hong Kong citizens and noted that if the plot had taken place, there would have been significant damage and destruction.
In his sentencing, the court said that Wyllie deserved to be punished for his conduct and noted that his actions showed “excessive arrogance” and a “complete disregard” for the law. The judge noted that, while Wyllie had not personally carried out any explosions, he had still played an integral role in the attempted plot and that such actions could not be tolerated.