More fugitives' family members questioned

Family members of two more wanted national security fugitives have been taken away by police for questioning.

Officers brought two men and two women - believed to be former lawmaker Dennis Kwok Wing-hang's parents, elder brother Kwok Wing-chun and his brother's wife - to Western police station yesterday morning to help with the investigation.

Kwok's brother left the station at 2pm but did not answer media questions.

National security officers also raided the home of unionist Mung Siu-tat's family at Chek Nai Ping Village in Sha Tin on Tuesday and took away two men and a woman.

Sources said the three are Mung's elder brother, sister-in-law and nephew. They were released the same day.

It is understood that police asked them to provide Mung's whereabouts and whether they had met him or provided financial support.

Police said the investigation to catch the eight suspects is ongoing and arrests could be made.

Kwok and Mung are among eight overseas national security suspects with a HK$1 million bounty each for their arrests.

The six other fugitives are former lawmaker Nathan Law Kwun-chung and Ted Hui Chi-fung, lawyer Kevin Yam Kin-fung and activists Elmer Yuen Gong-yi, Finn Lau Cho-dik and Anna Kwok Fung-yee.

Kwok, who is running a law firm in the United States, has been accused of colluding with anti-China politicians and using extreme measures to destroy Hong Kong's status as an international financial center, police said earlier.

Mung, former chief executive of the disbanded Confederation of Trade Unions, is in the United Kingdom. He allegedly promoted Hong Kong independence.

Police on Tuesday raided the Tung Chung homes of Law's parents and elder brother.

It is understood that officers took the three to the police station and asked whether they provided financial support to him or acted as his agents in Hong Kong.

They were allowed to leave after making statements. Law later said his family members have had no financial links to him.

"Regarding a series of actions taken by the Hong Kong police, I can certainly say the relevant persons have no money exchanges with me and what I do has nothing to do with them. It's ridiculous to say they had 'assisted' me," Law said.

Political analyst Derek Yuen Mi-chang, son of suspect Elmer Yuen Gong-yi, admitted he had a short chat with his father when he was in the United States last month.

But Yuen was not contacted by police. He said they must have obtained more information about his father so he did not have any additional information to offer.

He said their short conversation did not involve political issues and he did not engage in any financial exchange with him.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu earlier vowed to hunt the eight exiled activists for life using all legal means. He urged the eight to return and surrender themselves, otherwise they would live in fear of being arrested for the rest of their lives

"No matter how far they go, we will hunt them for life," Lee said.

"I also want to tell the criminals that, well, the only way to end their destiny of being an absconder who will be pursued for life is to surrender."

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com