~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

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US ambassador calls On Vietnam to explain charges against detained US citizens

HANOI - The U.S. Ambassador said Tuesday (11 Dec) he has seen no evidence linking four detained U.S. citizens to terrorism and called on the Vietnamese government to explain their arrests.

"To date, we have received no formal notification of the charges against these individuals," Ambassador Michael Michalak told reporters at a media briefing. "We have seen no information that would support the charges of terrorism against these individuals as suggested by the local media," he added.

Vietnamese authorities arrested U.S. citizens Nguyen Quoc Quan and Truong Van Ba on 17 Nov and Nguyen Thi Thinh and Le Van Phan on 23 Nov. Quan and Ba were among a group of six people detained in Ho Chi Minh City who were circulating leaflets for Viet Tan, a California-based pro-democracy group that the Vietnamese government considers a terrorist organization.

"We have seen no evidence that Viet Tan is a terrorist organization," Michalak said. "If there is evidence that this group is engaged in terrorist activities, I would like to see it." The Vietnamese government has not announced formal charges against any of the detainees. But according to Vietnamese media reports, authorities were investigating Quan and Ba for terrorism.

Thinh and Phan were detained after authorities allegedly found a weapon in their luggage when they arrived at the Ho Chi Minh City airport on 23 Nov, Vietnamese media reported. A government spokesman has said the two were detained for allegedly bringing arms into the country. During her interview with U.S. Embassy officials, Thinh denied that there was a weapon in her luggage, Michalak said.

Viet Tan has said the two cases are unrelated and have nothing to do with the group. Michalak said he has seen no evidence that shows the cases are linked. Viet Tan says it promotes peaceful democratic change in Vietnam. The group says that the six people arrested in Ho Chi Minh City were circulating pamphlets promoting nonviolent political change.

"The United States will protest any actions taken to silence those engaged in the peaceful expression of political views," Michalak said. Vietnamese authorities have said that Quan entered Vietnam with a forged Cambodian passport, a violation of Vietnamese law. Vietnamese government officials could not be reached Tuesday for comment on the cases. All of those arrested are of Vietnamese descent.

Quan and Ba were detained along with four others, including two Vietnamese citizens, a French citizen and a Thai national, all of whom are still in custody. Ba's Americanized name is Leon Truong and Thinh's Americanized name is Helen Le.

The Associated Press - December 11, 2007