Bombs bring stiff term for planner in flee-to-Taiwan bid

Wallis Wang

One of the 12 Hong Kong fugitives who were caught in mainland waters in 2020 during an escape attempt to Taiwan has been sentenced to five years and one month in jail by the district court for possessing bombs during the unrest in 2019.

Quinn Moon, a former telephone saleswoman, pleaded guilty to charges of making and possessing explosives, as well as perverting the course of justice. She had previously served a two-year jail term in the mainland for involvement in organizing an illegal border crossing and was returned to Hong Kong in August 2022.

In handing down the sentence, Stanley Chan Kwong-chi slammed Quinn for actions that contributed to the escalation of social unrest in 2019 by providing rioters with explosives and participating in plans to flee the city illegally.

He said Quinn's radicalization was influenced by the social environment at the time and highlighted her storing riot gear in her residence and allowing her boyfriend to store a homemade pipe bomb at her home.

Additionally, she attempted to create homemade smoke bombs by filling a tennis ball with match heads, with the intention of causing chaos during riots.

Despite acknowledging Quinn's expressions of remorse in a mitigation letter, in which she expressed her desire for a peaceful Hong Kong and renounced political and violent incidents, Chan said she must still face the legal consequences.

He also condemned the fugitives' attempt to escape to Taiwan, describing it as unprecedented and a direct challenge to the judicial system in Hong Kong.

"The fugitives' plan to abscond is not only a contempt and challenge to the judicial system, but also a stab with a dagger to the long-standing bail system," Chan said, adding he believes the fugitives would not live overseas quietly if they had succeeded in fleeing and would instead smear and attack Hong Kong and its political system.

"If they successfully escape from trial and punishment in Hong Kong, it would be a huge insult to the rule of law and damage to the trial system in the city, which shows a depraved law-abiding sense and will destroy public faith in the legal system."

The court had heard police discovered a homemade pipe bomb and a tennis ball filled with explosives at Quinn's residence in Mong Kok on January 14, 2020.

She had planned to escape to Taiwan with 11 others between December 2019 and August 2020, during which time she was being sought by the police in connection with the bomb case.

On August 23, 2020, the 12 fugitives attempted to flee to Taiwan by sea but were apprehended in mainland waters. Quinn was sentenced to two years in jail in the mainland before being returned to Hong Kong.

She informed police officers here that she played a role in coordinating the escape attempt and had paid a woman working in the real estate industry in Taiwan over HK$600,000 to facilitate their getaway.