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Vietnam on Wednesday decried a ruling by a Thai appeals court to reverse the extradition of a Vietnamese activist who hijacked a small plane from Thailand seven years ago to drop anti-communist leaflets on Ho Chi Minh City.
A spokesman for the government said that the Bangkok Appeals Court harmed the global fight against terrorism by ruling that Vietnamese-American activist Ly Tong's activities were politically motivated and therefore he should not be extradited. 'By their nature, Ly Tong's acts are terrorist activities and should be severely punished,' Vietnamese government spokesman Le Dung said in his reply to reporters' queries regarding the ruling. 'The decision is unfair and completely opposite to Thai, Vietnamese and international laws,' Dung said. 'The decision also goes counter to joint efforts in fighting crime and terrorism in the region and the world.' Ly Tong rented a twin-engine plane from Hua Hin Airport in southern Thailand and illegally flew it to Vietnam in November, 2000, where he dumped anti-communist leaflets over Ho Chi Minh City when then US President Bill Clinton was visiting the city, previously known as Saigon. He was arrested upon his return to Hua Hin, Thailand. The Appeals Court decision overruled a previous ruling by Bangkok's Criminal Court's that judged Tong's acts as a 'security related crime,' allowing for extradition. Under Thai law, Tong, a former South Vietnamese air force pilot who later became a US citizen, should now be freed from Thai jail where he has been for the past seven years since his airplane stunt.
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