MI5 issued an unprecedented warning on Friday about ‘crimes directed’ by Beijing after the first conviction of a Chinese spy ring targeting dissidents in Britain.
In an alert linked to the landmark trial, the Security Service published guidance about the threat of ‘transnational repression’ in the UK, with advice to victims suffering physical violence, surveillance, harassment and online disinformation.
The National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), a branch of MI5, issued it just a day after UK Border Force officer Peter Wai, 40, and retired Hong Kong police officer Bill Yuen, 65, were convicted of spying on Chinese dissidents living here.
In the first Chinese espionage convictions in British history, Wai used his privileged access to Home Office databases to supply intelligence to Beijing so the duo could ‘reach beyond their jurisdiction’ to conduct shadow police operations.
Now, MI5 has warned of the impact of transnational repression in the UK, which it defines as ‘crimes directed by foreign states against individuals’.
The alert said: ‘Some foreign states have targeted those whom they perceive to be a threat or otherwise wish to control, including those who are vocal in their opposition to them.
‘While the number of people affected by TNR (transnational repression) in the UK is low, the impact on those targeted and wider communities can be severe.’
The notice referred to details of the Old Bailey case, saying Hong Kong Police issued arrest warrants and bounties of £103,000 for information leading to the arrest of individuals living in the UK.
Peter Wai arriving at the Old Bailey, where has been found guilty of running a Chinese ‘state intelligence service’ on British soil while working as a UK Border Force officer
Wai was tasked with gathering intelligence for Hong Kong authorities by Bill Yuen, 66
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During the two-month trial, jurors heard that Wai and Yuen received requests to gather intelligence on ‘abscondees’ linked to bounties related to pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
The NPSA listed individuals targeted at the behest of Beijing including the ‘former leader of a pro-democracy group, a political commentator and lobbyists for Hong Kong pro-democracy NGOs’.
The alert also criticised attempts from Tehran after MI5 director general Sir Ken McCallum warned in October of Iranian efforts to ‘silence its opponents around the world, including in the UK’.
It comes after MPs warned yesterday that the China case was ‘just the tip of the iceberg’ and must act as ‘a wake-up call’ to the Government over the threat posed by Beijing.
Sir Ken warned of ‘escalating’ state threats against Parliament last year, ahead of an espionage alert about Beijing’s attempts to recruit officials.
The spy ring was part of Operation Fox Hunt, an effort to force people back to China for persecution.
Despite the security risk, a cross-party delegation of MPs are due to take a five-day trip to China later this month, organised by the Great Britain-China Centre, an NGO funded by the Foreign Office to promote ties with Beijing.
