Vietnam charges three men as group alleges two were abducted
Vietnam has charged three men with terrorism and document forgery after saying they were caught crossing from Cambodia with false identity documents. The Viet Tan organisation disputes the account, alleging two of the men were abducted in Cambodia before being taken to the Vietnamese border.
Vietnamese authorities have charged three men with terrorism and document forgery, while a pro-democracy organisation has alleged that two of them were abducted in Cambodia. Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security said its Security Investigation Agency had opened proceedings against Nguyen Duc Thuan, Ho Pham Hiep Huy and Thai Cong Truong Son under the country’s terrorism and document-forgery laws. The ministry said border guards caught the three men at about 9.50pm on September 18 while they were illegally entering Vietnam from Cambodia through Tay Ninh province.
It said they told investigators they were members of Viet Tan, which Hanoi designates as a terrorist organisation. Authorities alleged that the men had forged documents to enter Vietnam and carry out terrorist and sabotage activities. The ministry said Thuan was carrying two Vietnamese identity cards bearing his photograph under another name, as well as a Norwegian passport.
Huy was carrying an Australian passport. Viet Tan said Thuan and Huy had entered Cambodia legally on September 15 and were due to leave on September 19. The organisation said they went missing before their planned departure and had not travelled to Vietnam.
A representative described the incident as an abduction, but the allegation has not been independently established. Vietnamese authorities have not publicly addressed the claim that the men disappeared inside Cambodia. The group has urged Norway and Australia to seek access to the two men and ensure their safety.
It said Thuan, who requires daily insulin, should continue receiving medication and medical care. The investigation is continuing, and no court has ruled on the charges.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.