Wednesday, April 16, 2008Source: US Department of Justice, US Attorney's Office
LAWFUEL - The president of the Cambodian Freedom Fighters – a Long Beach, California-based organization that was formed to seize political control in the southeast Asian country – was found guilty today of conspiring to kill in a foreign country.
Yasith Chhun, 51, a United States citizen, was found guilty of four felony charges at the conclusion of a 10-day trial. In addition to the conspiracy to kill in a foreign country count, the jury convicted Chhun of conspiracy to destroy property in a foreign country, conspiracy to violate the Neutrality Act by engaging in a military expedition against a nation with whom the United States is at peace and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction in a foreign country.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Chhun traveled to the Cambodia-Thailand border in October 1998 to meet with Cambodian military personnel who were opposed to the ruling party in Cambodia, the Cambodia People's Party, headed by Prime Minister Hun Sen. At this time, the Cambodian Freedom Fighters (CFF) was born and Chhun was made president of the group. The opposition forces from Cambodia agreed to acquire weapons and Chhun agreed to raise funds for the violent overthrow of the Cambodian government. Fundraisers were held at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, and strategy meetings were held at Chhun’s office in Long Beach.
The CFF eventually developed plans for "Operation Volcano," which would be a major assault on Cambodian government institutions and Prime Minister Sen. Documents introduced as evidence in the trial contained notations by Chhun that he would “tear Hun Sen” apart, “cut their necks,” and “send them to hell soon.”
On November 24, 2000, Chhun orchestrated the attack on the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, which included attacks on buildings housing the Ministry of Defense, the Council of Ministers and a military headquarters facility. About 200 CFF members used AK-47 rifles, grenades and rockets during the assault. As a result of the attack, several Cambodian police officers and civilians were wounded, and at least three CFF members were killed.
Seven witnesses came from Cambodia to testify. One of the victims who was 20 years old on the night of the attack said he was guarding a gas station when CFF members armed with AK-47s approached him. Even though he told the CFF members that he was unarmed, the witness testified that they shot him and then threw a grenade at him.
Chhun is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Dean D. Pregerson on September 8. He faces a potential sentence of life without parole in federal prison.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Chhun and his wife, Sras Pech, 42, are named in a second indictment that accuses them of running a fraudulent tax-preparation business in Long Beach. They are scheduled to go on trial in that case on July 1.
CONTACT: Assistant United States Attorney Lamar Baker
(213) 894-0627
Assistant United States Attorney Richard Y. Lee
(213) 894-2692
Release No. 08-044
Yasith Chhun, 51, a United States citizen, was found guilty of four felony charges at the conclusion of a 10-day trial. In addition to the conspiracy to kill in a foreign country count, the jury convicted Chhun of conspiracy to destroy property in a foreign country, conspiracy to violate the Neutrality Act by engaging in a military expedition against a nation with whom the United States is at peace and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction in a foreign country.
The evidence presented at trial showed that Chhun traveled to the Cambodia-Thailand border in October 1998 to meet with Cambodian military personnel who were opposed to the ruling party in Cambodia, the Cambodia People's Party, headed by Prime Minister Hun Sen. At this time, the Cambodian Freedom Fighters (CFF) was born and Chhun was made president of the group. The opposition forces from Cambodia agreed to acquire weapons and Chhun agreed to raise funds for the violent overthrow of the Cambodian government. Fundraisers were held at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, and strategy meetings were held at Chhun’s office in Long Beach.
The CFF eventually developed plans for "Operation Volcano," which would be a major assault on Cambodian government institutions and Prime Minister Sen. Documents introduced as evidence in the trial contained notations by Chhun that he would “tear Hun Sen” apart, “cut their necks,” and “send them to hell soon.”
On November 24, 2000, Chhun orchestrated the attack on the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, which included attacks on buildings housing the Ministry of Defense, the Council of Ministers and a military headquarters facility. About 200 CFF members used AK-47 rifles, grenades and rockets during the assault. As a result of the attack, several Cambodian police officers and civilians were wounded, and at least three CFF members were killed.
Seven witnesses came from Cambodia to testify. One of the victims who was 20 years old on the night of the attack said he was guarding a gas station when CFF members armed with AK-47s approached him. Even though he told the CFF members that he was unarmed, the witness testified that they shot him and then threw a grenade at him.
Chhun is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Dean D. Pregerson on September 8. He faces a potential sentence of life without parole in federal prison.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Chhun and his wife, Sras Pech, 42, are named in a second indictment that accuses them of running a fraudulent tax-preparation business in Long Beach. They are scheduled to go on trial in that case on July 1.
CONTACT: Assistant United States Attorney Lamar Baker
(213) 894-0627
Assistant United States Attorney Richard Y. Lee
(213) 894-2692
Release No. 08-044
15 comments:
So who's next?
7:39 AM?
Ah phucking kwak mouy cham heang should be next. He assisted many youn national to killed Khmer. Some one should put the idiot on trial like his older buddies, Ieng Sary and the rest of the Pol Pot regime inner circle
Sorry to hear of your conviction Bang Yasith. There will be some other people that is going to be taking your place. Hun Sen and his gangsters will be out of power soon.
Okay, 7:58, don't wait too long because no one can live forever, alright?
This conviction should spread and inform the world more about who Hun Sen and who is behind Hun Sen regime.
khmer people, vote democrate 2008 !!!
vote hun sen out 2008, this july
"Slabb Dauch Puos,
Ruos Dauch Kangkèb"
Yasith = Puos
Others (Coward) = Puos
Correction:
"Slabb Dauch Puos,
Ruos Dauch Kangkèb"
Yasith = Puos
Others (Coward) = Kangkèb
President of Cambodian Opposition Group Convicted Of Plotting To Overthrow Cambodian Government.
Since when this particular person became the President of Opposition Group?
Since the formation of the opposition group, duh!
Chhun Ya sith's is just the truck of ah Hun sen ah youns in Cambodia
this serves as a lesson that nobody should be using force to instigate overthrow or whatever. i'm glad the USA sees it differently. this kind of person is probably just a trouble-maker type. book him in jail permanently so it wouldn't happen again, cambodia and the USA don't need this kind of relationship. khmer-american friendship forever.
Anonymous 12:44, Shut your mouth! Tried to live in Cambodia for a week and you'll understand.......
Chhun Yasith did not do anything wrong under any American law! The fact that AH HUN SEN demanded that Chhun Yasith must be convicted as a terrorist which is one way to eliminate any competitor from competing with him in politic and of course the new trend of the war on terror around the world will give AH HUN SEN another excuse to work with Uncle Sam and to secure his position as a world leader and AH HUN SEN couldn’t ask for more! The concept that only AH HUN SEN can fight the war on terror is very laughable!
I felt this is the same old politic as usual! I mean if the American FBI can't even convict AH HUN SEN for the 1997 grenade attacked on American citizen and what does that say about American judicial system!
This whole show of putting Chhun Yasith on trial for terrorist act is to cover up real American national interest in Cambodia! It could be oil and mineral, it could be engagement against China, it could be military build up in Southeast Asia, and it could be...
By the way a lot of the evidence against Chhun Yasith is manufacture by AH HUN SEN government!
Yes, I think so too.
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