Hok Lundy gloating about Chhun Yasith's conviction, he forgot that Hun Sen also attacked the legitimate gov't of Cambodia in 1997

Chhun Yasith (L) and National police chief Hy Lung Doc (R)

Chief Calls Chhun Yasith Conviction a ‘Warning’

By Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer
Original report from Washington
18 April 2008

National Police Chief Hok Lundy welcomed the guilty verdict of Chhun Yasith in US federal court this week, calling it a warning to other groups who might think of attacking the government.

Chhun Yasith was found guilty of leading an armed attack on the government by the Cambodian Freedom Fighters in November 2000, in fighting that left at least seven people dead.

“The conviction against Chhun Yasith is a warning to other individuals, even any Khmer or foreigner, who engage armed forces in attempting to topple the government or engage in terrorism,” Hok Lundy said in a phone interview. Any such person “is to face law enforcement and a legal sentence.”

Chhun Yasith, a US citizen from Cambodia living in Long Beach, Calif., was convicted of conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, conspiracy to damage or destroy property in a foreign country, conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States, and engaging in a military expedition against a nation with which the United States is at peace.

He faces up to life in prison and is set to be sentenced Sept. 8.

One witness of 13 who testified in front of a US jury this month said Chhun Yasith had denied the charges.

Chhun Yasith claimed “what he did was try to change the country from what he described as a dictatorial regime, and he also accused key witnesses of cheating and exaggerating in court,” the witness said.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation called two former lieutenants of the CFF, Thong Samean and Gilbert Sao, to testify to activities of Chhun Yasith as their leader.

The nighttime raid on government buildings left 13 people wounded and led to a round-up of CFF suspects, some of whom are now serving sentences in Cambodian prison.

Cambodian man guilty in failed coup attempt

Cambodian policemen stand in front of Cambodian Freedom Fighters' (CFF) weapons and flags in Phnom Penh, in 2001

Callahan said his client (Chhun Yasith) had founded the CFF after deciding that "speeches and diplomacy were not going to be enough" to unseat Hun Sen.

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — A Cambodian man was found guilty by a US jury on Wednesday of fomenting a failed coup attempt in his native country in November 2000 and now faces a possible life sentence.

Chhun Yasith, 52, a California accountant who arrived in America in the 1980s after the collapse of the Khmer Rouge's "Killing Fields" regime, was accused of drawing up plans for the overthrow of Prime Minister Hun Sen in Phnom Penh from his modest office in Long Beach, southwest of Los Angeles.

"The planning and fundraising happened right here in the United States," prosecutor Lamar Baker told jurors earlier this month at the US District Court of Los Angeles. "It was like the labels say, 'Made in the USA.'"

After a two-week trial, he was found guilty of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States and engaging in a military expedition against a nation with which the United States is at peace.

He was also found guilty of conspiracy to kill in a foreign country and conspiracy to damage or destroy property in a foreign country.

Chhun Yasith is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8.

Prosecutors said Chhun Yasith founded a group known as the Cambodian Freedom Fighters (CFF) in 1998 and was elected president after traveling to Thailand to enlist the support former Cambodian military personnel.

The CFF planned a twin-pronged strategy to bring about revolution, prosecutors said. The group was ordered to carry out "popcorn" attacks on soft targets such as karaoke bars, nightclubs and coffee houses before launching an all-out assault to overthrow the government.

After one of the so-called "popcorn" attacks -- the July 2000 bombing of a nightclub in Cambodia that left two people dead and many injured -- Chhun Yasith sent a fax to members "bragging about hospitals filling up with victims," Baker said.

Chhun Yasith selected a total of 291 targets for their ill-fated coup, codenamed "Operation Volcano."

Despite being warned by senior CFF advisors that the rebel forces were not big enough to challenge the Cambodian army and police, Chhun Yasith -- based in Thailand -- pressed ahead with the coup attempt, which took place on November 24, 2000.

Dozens of armed men stormed into Phnom Penh firing AK-47 rifles and rockets at government buildings, leaving at least four people dead, before the rebellion was quelled.

More than 100 people were jailed for the attack, which left Hun Sen unscathed.

Chhun Yasith was tried in absentia in Phnom Penh in June 2001 and convicted of conspiracy, terrorism and membership of an illegal armed group.

During the US trial, Chhun Yasith's attorney, Richard Callahan, argued that his client's "only goal was to bring democracy to his homeland."

"It was misguided and naive in its execution but it was not misguided and naive in its intent," Callahan said, saying his client had launched a "noble effort to save Cambodia" from the "tyrannical regime of Hun Sen."

Callahan said his client had founded the CFF after deciding that "speeches and diplomacy were not going to be enough" to unseat Hun Sen.

In a December 2000 interview with the Cambodia's English-language Cambodia Daily newspaper, Chhun Yasith said the attack was a failed coup bid and vowed to strike again to topple the government.

"We were prepared to transform Cambodia into a country like the US," Chuun Yasith told the newspaper. "We had a constitution that would've turned Cambodia into a republic," he added.

Chhun Yasith and his wife, Sras Pech, 42, face another trial on July on charges of running a fraudulent tax-preparation business in Long Beach.

President of Cambodian Opposition Group Convicted Of Plotting To Overthrow Cambodian Government

Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Source: 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

Long Beach Man Convicted Of Cambodia Conspiracy

April 16, 2008
KNBC Channel4 (Los Angeles, California, USA)

LOS ANGELES -- A Long Beach accountant was convicted Wednesday of federal charges stemming from the failed coup attempt he led against Cambodia's government in November 2000.

Yasith Chhun, the 52-year-old president of the Cambodian Freedom Fighters, faces life in prison without parole when sentenced on Sept. 8, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Chhun was found guilty of the four charges against him -- conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, conspiracy to damage or destroy property in a foreign country, conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States, and engaging in a military expedition against a nation with which the United States is at peace.

The conviction followed a two-week trial in downtown Los Angeles, in which jurors were told that Chhun planned "Operation Volcano" to overthrow the government of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

The failed attempt resulted in the deaths of at least three CFF members, according to the U.S. government. An unknown number of civilians, members of the Cambodian National Police and Cambodian military were injured.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar Baker told jurors that Chhun hatched a "Made in the USA" plot to overthrow Cambodia's government and knowingly put other people's lives -- but not his own -- in danger.

But Chhun's attorney, Richard Callahan, argued that his client's "only goal was to bring democracy to his homeland."

Neither Baker nor Callahan were immediately available for comment on the verdict.

During the trial, prosecutors portrayed Chhun as a callous, cowardly, incompetent leader of the CFF, who held group meetings at his Long Beach business, CCC Professional Accounting Services, located in the 2700 block of East 10th Street.

Chhun also met with former members of the Khmer Rouge military at the Cambodia-Thailand border in October 1998 to plan Sen's overthrow, prosecutors said.

The Khmer Rouge and its leader, Pol Pot, ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979. The Communist organization was blamed for the deaths of more than 1 million people through execution, forced labor and starvation in what became known as the country's "killing fields."

After raising money in the United States -- including staging a May 2000 fundraiser at the Queen Mary -- the CFF launched "popcorns," or small-scale guerrilla attacks in Cambodia against gas stations, coffee shops and other targets, according to the U.S. government.

Chhun sent a congratulatory fax to one CFF member whose bombing of a nightclub resulted in two deaths and scores of injuries, prosecutors said.

Ignoring the advice of senior CFF officials who warned about the group's lack of money and popular support, Chhun launched "Operation Volcano," a major assault on Cambodian government buildings and the Sen administration, according to the prosecution.

On Nov. 24, 2000, Chhun -- safely stashed away in Thailand at the time -- orchestrated attacks on buildings housing Cambodia's Ministry of Defense, the Council of Ministers and a military headquarters facility, prosecutors said.

Jurors were shown photographs of those who were injured during the assault. The victims suffered gunshot wounds from AK-47 assault rifles and shrapnel injuries from exploded hand grenades, according to the prosecution. Some of them testified at Chhun's trial.

Jurors also were shown videotaped testimony from Chhun's co-conspirators -- three of whom are serving life sentences in Cambodian prisons.

After the coup failed, Chhun returned to the United States. The FBI arrested him at his Long Beach home on June 1, 2005, after a federal grand jury indicted him.

Chhun also gave incriminating statements to an FBI agent, who recorded them, prosecutors said.

But Callahan portrayed Chhun and his followers as naive freedom fighters who made "a noble effort to save Cambodia" from the "tyrannical" government of Hun Sen -- a former brigade commander under Pol Pot.

Chhun is a man "desperately concerned about the people of Cambodia and their future," Callahan told jurors earlier this month. "You need to see what he saw and feel what he felt."

He said the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution in support of having the United States support Sen's indictment in an international court of law. That resolution was passed in October 1998 -- the same month Chhun traveled to Southeast Asia to plot against Cambodia's government, Callahan said.

He also noted Cambodia's problems, which he said include corruption, poverty, civil rights abuses and child sexual slavery.

Chhun stayed behind in Thailand during Operation Volcano after a top CFF military commander told him it would a security risk for him to be in Cambodia during the assault, Callahan said.

Chhun, along with his wife, Sras Pech, 42, still face separate federal charges alleging they ran a fraudulent tax-preparation business in Long Beach. Trial in that case is scheduled to begin on July 1.

Chhun Yasith convicted of failed Cambodian coup attempt [-CFF had access to " Weapon of Mass Destruction"???]

Chhun convicted of failed Cambodian coup attempt

04/16/2008
P-T wire reports
Long Beach Press Telegram (California, USA)

LOS ANGELES -- A federal jury in Los Angeles has convicted a Long Beach accountant of charges stemming from the failed coup attempt he led against Cambodia's government in November 2000.

Yasith Chhun, the 52-year-old president of the Cambodian Freedom Fighters, was found guilty of conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, conspiracy to damage or destroy property in a foreign country, conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States and engaging in a military expedition against a nation with which the United States is at peace.

The failed coup resulted in the deaths of three CFF members and an unknown number of civilian injuries.

Chhun, who stayed behind in Thailand during the attempted coup, later escaped to the United States. The FBI arrested him in June 2005.

He faces a potential life prison term when sentenced Sept. 8.