Three people have been charged with offences under the National Security Act as part of an investigation led by officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command with support from colleagues in Counter Terrorism Policing in the North East and South East.
The three men have each been charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service, contrary to section 3(1) and (9) of the National Security Act 2023 and also with foreign interference, contrary to section 13(2) and (7) of the National Security Act 2023. The foreign intelligence service to which the above charges relate is that of Hong Kong.
Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “This operation is not connected to a recently reported Counter Terrorism Policing investigation linked to Russia.
“A number of arrests were made and searches carried out across England as part of this investigation. While led from London, the Counter Terrorism Policing network has been crucial to disrupting this activity and we have worked closely with the Crown Prosecution Service since the start of the investigation.
“While these offences are concerning, I want to reassure the public that we do not believe there to be any wider threat to them. This investigation remains ongoing, but now that charges have been brought, I urge people not to speculate or comment further in relation to this case.”
The three men charged are:
[A] Chi Leung (Peter) Wai, 38, (17/06/1985) of Staines-upon-Thames
[B] Matthew Trickett, 37, (15/2/87) of Maidenhead; and
[J] Chung Biu Yuen, 63, (2/6/60) of Hackney.
All three will appear in custody at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday 13 May.
As part of the investigation, a total of 11 people were detained under section 27 of the National Security Act 2023 and taken into police custody. Eight men [A-H] and a woman [I] were arrested by counter terrorism police officers on Wednesday, 1 May in the Yorkshire area. The following day, a man [J] was arrested in London and another man [K] was arrested in the Yorkshire area. They were held at a central London police station and at a West Midlands police station.
Warrants of further detention were sought and obtained in respect of the ten men. The seven men and one woman who were not charged were released from custody on or before Friday, 10 May.
For operational reasons, we will not be discussing further details of the investigation beyond the fact that it relates to offences under the National Security Act 2023. The investigation is ongoing