Two arrested over 'kill police' calls

A man and a woman were yesterday arrested for online posts allegedly inciting others to kill police and setting fire to police premises on Friday - the day after a man stabbed a policeman before stabbing himself to death in Causeway Bay.

The 20-year-old woman and 26-year-old man were arrested in Tin Shui Wai and Sha Tin, respectively, in their homes for inciting others to commit murder and arson and for seditious intention.

Superintendent Wilson Tam Wai-shun of the police's cyber security and technology crime bureau said the two posted the "abusive comments and incitement messages" on social media platforms, but he did not say whether the arrests were related to the attack in Causeway Bay.

He also did not reveal the exact wordings of the postings and which social media the messages were found.

"The number of comments the persons have made is not the main thing that we consider on the arrests. The thing we consider is the seriousness of the comments," Tam said.

"One of the messages was to incite people to kill police officers. The other was inciting people to set fire on police premises," he said, adding the two did not seem to know each other.

Police seized two phones from the suspects.

Tam said police do not tolerate incitement of violence, saying freedom of speech does not include incitement of violence or advocating terrorist activities as those remarks were "unethical".

The police national security department is investigating the case of Leung Kin-fai, 50, who stabbed a 28-year-old male police officer from the police tactical unit before knifing himself to death.

"Police initial investigation revealed that this was a lone wolf-style act of domestic terrorism in which the attacker was believed to be radicalized by myriad fake information but will not rule out any possibilities," police said yesterday.

The department is probing whether there was any accomplice involved, if the attacker was incited to commit the crime, and any person in control or support behind the scene, etc."

Leung attacked the officer from behind with a knife about 10pm Thursday outside Sogo department store. He then stabbed himself in the chest with the knife at the scene. He was certified dead at 11.20pm after being sent to Ruttonjee Hospital.

The officer was initially listed in a critical condition after sustaining serious back injury and his left lung was punctured. His condition improved to stable from serious on Saturday at Queen Mary Hospital.

Police have classified the case as attempted murder and suicide.

Sources said a USB flash drive was found on Leung, which contains his suicide notes.

Apparently Leung had written he would commit suicide after the attack. He voiced dissatisfaction with society, criticized the police and expressed dissatisfaction with the national security law that took effect last June 30, as he considered it had undermined people's freedoms.

Leung was not active on social media, but police found many leaflets and news clippings related to anti-fugitive bill protests in his home, suspecting he had developed hatred toward police.

Police also seized documents and notebooks from Leung's office in Tuen Mun where he worked in the procurement department at beverage company Vitasoy International.

It was understood Leung had worked in the now-closed pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily for a few months as a researcher in 2008. He joined Vitasoy in 2016.

Leung, who was single, lived with his parents in San Po Kong. He did not have a criminal record or a known history of mental illness.

A colleague said Leung was a reclusive and rarely talked to colleagues. He had never heard Leung talking about politics or the police.

Police in Causeway Bay were yesterday seen wearing tactical vests - bulletproof clothing - after the attack. It is understood that police have requested officers patrol the territory in groups of no less than four.