Bangkok Post : US drops case against Hmong leader Vang Pao

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US drops case against Hmong leader Vang Pao

Published: 19/09/2009 at 03:41 AM
Online news: Asia

Sacramento, California - The federal government on Friday dropped its charges against Hmong leader Vang Pao, who was indicted along with 10 others more than two years ago for allegedly plotting the violent overthrow of the communist regime in Laos.

Then and now: Vang Pao with his men in 1961, and making a speech in the US in 2001.

US Attorney Lawrence Brown said that a federal grand jury returned a sealed superseding indictment Thursday omitting Vang Pao as a defendant.

The indictment charges the other 10 who were named in the first indictment and adds two new defendants.

Brown noted that federal prosecutors have wide charging discretion and may consider, among other factors, a person's culpability, history and consequences of a conviction. He was not more specific as to which of these may have come into play with respect to the 79-year-old Vang Pao.

"In our measured judgment, and based on the totality of the evidence in the case and the circumstances regarding defendant Vang Pao, we believe that continued prosecution of this defendant is no longer warranted," Brown said.

He declined to comment further.

A storm of protest spread through the Hmong community, both in the United States and abroad, as well as among veterans of the Vietnam War, and even some members of Congress, over the indictment of Vang, the most influential leader in modern Hmong history.

He rose from a 13-year-old runner to a major general in the Royal Lao Army - the highest rank ever attained by a Hmong tribesman. He led a CIA-sponsored guerilla army against the Pathet Lao, Viet Cong and North Vietnamese between 1960 and 1975, before the fall to the communists of South Vietnam and then Laos, native country of the Hmong.

Vang Pao's units suffered heavy casualties and are credited with saving uncounted thousands of American lives.

William Colby, former head of the CIA, once called Vang Pao "the biggest hero of the Vietnam War."

The charges in the new indictment are much the same as those in the first indictment. All 12 defendants - 11 Hmong men and a retired Army lieutenant colonel from Woodland - are charged with conspiring to violate the Neutrality Act by scheming to topple the government of a country at peace with the United States.

They are also charged with conspiring to "kill, maim and injure" persons and to damage property in a foreign country, to export military grade weapons to Laos, and violations of the Neutrality Act. (Agencies)

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Brandon

Discussion 4 : 19/09/2009 at 04:47 PM4
Re: Tom Discussion 3

It's not strange at all. The Americans have every right to prosecute since the crime was committed on US soil. The charges are these men broke the law (neutrality act).

I'm NOT saying he or the other men are guilty or not... I don't have an opinion on that. I'm only speaking on the reasons given for the arrest. It might SEEM strange, but no country should have independent groups running around your backyard planning and preparing for invading, overthrowing, or destabilizing any other nations, as they please, outside of an official government - no matter if the intentions are noble or not.
Tom

Discussion 3 : 19/09/2009 at 10:13 AM3
isan farahng: Just look at Saddam. He was the Americans 'boy' for years.
What's more strange, in my opinion, is how a US federal court can think it has any jurisdiction whatsoever in this matter. Next we'll be risking rendition and and a trip to Guantanamo for exceeding US speed-limits while driving in Thailand.
Scott

Discussion 2 : 19/09/2009 at 08:29 AM2
I note with keen interest how they drag General Vang Pao through the mud and lie about the matter and then proceed to cover up the case failures and lies by then dismissing all counts against him.

They never should have charged him, he worked for us for many years in the Secret War in Laos, we indeed wanted Laos to be overthrown and provided many covert op's equipment and operational weapons and intelligence to him and his many staff, for many years. I smell a real rat in the US DOJ and a set up on the other charged. I remember how we at the US ISA provided more fire power to him and his agents to overthrow Laos and now this ?
isan farang

Discussion 1 : 19/09/2009 at 04:37 AM1
How strange World politics is.One minute you are an important part of helping the U.S. against the communists in Vietnam,presumable because you oppose communists but once they take over and continue to brutalize Laos,enjoy their corrupt dictatorship and become a "country at peace with the U.S." you are no longer able to continue the fight.
No wonder countries are confused about U.S. foreign policy.I wonder if Iraq was "at peace with the U.S.",as no war was ever declared, before the conspiracy against them was put in place.

Brandon

Discussion 4 : 19/09/2009 at 04:47 PM4

Re: Tom Discussion 3

It's not strange at all. The Americans have every right to prosecute since the crime was committed on US soil. The charges are these men broke the law (neutrality act).

I'm NOT saying he or the other men are guilty or not... I don't have an opinion on that. I'm only speaking on the reasons given for the arrest. It might SEEM strange, but no country should have independent groups running around your backyard planning and preparing for invading, overthrowing, or destabilizing any other nations, as they please, outside of an official government - no matter if the intentions are noble or not.

Tom

Discussion 3 : 19/09/2009 at 10:13 AM3

isan farahng: Just look at Saddam. He was the Americans 'boy' for years.
What's more strange, in my opinion, is how a US federal court can think it has any jurisdiction whatsoever in this matter. Next we'll be risking rendition and and a trip to Guantanamo for exceeding US speed-limits while driving in Thailand.

Scott

Discussion 2 : 19/09/2009 at 08:29 AM2

I note with keen interest how they drag General Vang Pao through the mud and lie about the matter and then proceed to cover up the case failures and lies by then dismissing all counts against him.

They never should have charged him, he worked for us for many years in the Secret War in Laos, we indeed wanted Laos to be overthrown and provided many covert op's equipment and operational weapons and intelligence to him and his many staff, for many years. I smell a real rat in the US DOJ and a set up on the other charged. I remember how we at the US ISA provided more fire power to him and his agents to overthrow Laos and now this ?

isan farang

Discussion 1 : 19/09/2009 at 04:37 AM1

How strange World politics is.One minute you are an important part of helping the U.S. against the communists in Vietnam,presumable because you oppose communists but once they take over and continue to brutalize Laos,enjoy their corrupt dictatorship and become a "country at peace with the U.S." you are no longer able to continue the fight.
No wonder countries are confused about U.S. foreign policy.I wonder if Iraq was "at peace with the U.S.",as no war was ever declared, before the conspiracy against them was put in place.

Bangkok Post : US drops case against Hmong leader Vang Pao

US drops case against Hmong leader Vang Pao

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