Is it mere coincidence that on the eve of Monday’s verdict in the case of former Apple Daily publisher Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, the national security department of the Hong Kong Police Force arrested nine young men on Dec 12?

The arrests took place at an industrial unit, where the group was engaged in illegal military training, including firearms handling, tactical knife use, combat skills, and radio communication. Officers seized air guns, real and fake knives, explosives, and a 3D printer at the scene, along with posters from the 2019-20 riots promoting “Hong Kong independence”.

This raises a critical question: Was this training intended to prepare for disturbances planned on the day of the verdict in Lai’s national security case?

It is alarming that some suspects were as young as 20 to 25. This case reveals the extent to which Lai poisoned young people's minds through his publications, social media, and financial support.

Justice was therefore clearly served when Lai was convicted on all three charges: two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security, and one count of conspiracy to print seditious publications. The verdict, delivered by High Court judges Esther Toh Lye-ping, Susana D'Almada Remedios and Alex Lee Wan-tang, followed a 156-day trial.

The lengthy trial demonstrates Hong Kong’s strict adherence to the rule of law, affording the defendant every right to which he is entitled. He was represented by a team of legal counsels who are among Hong Kong’s finest lawyers.

The convictions were firmly grounded in the facts and sound judgment, as detailed in the 855-page ruling, which proves the offenses beyond a reasonable doubt.

Words cannot fully capture the evil Lai has inflicted on Hong Kong’s younger generation. Many, incited by Lai, were forced to flee to the United Kingdom or other countries after their involvement in the 2019-20 riots. ... In my view, Lai deserves the severest penalty for the immense damage he has done to Hong Kong

The judges established the following facts:

First, Lai used his news outlet and social media platforms from April 2019 to June 2021 to incite public disaffection toward authorities, as evidenced by numerous seditious publications presented before the court.

Second, he provided financial backing to the Stand with Hong Kong lobbying group to instigate hostile Western actions and sanctions against China and its Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The court cited a June 16, 2020, meeting, in which Lai urged the group to continue calling for Western sanctions despite concerns about the impending national security laws.

Third, clear evidence showed Lai’s personal assistant, Mark Simon, worked behind the scenes to arrange Lai’s meetings with senior United States officials to lobby for hostile actions against Hong Kong and Chinese mainland authorities.

The court concluded that Lai was the “mastermind” behind these conspiracies, with the sole intent to “seek the downfall” of the ruling Communist Party of China.

The most damning evidence came from former Apple Daily and Next Digital editors and senior staff, who testified that Lai was a “very hands-on boss” deeply involved in the now-defunct newspaper’s operations. They confirmed that Lai’s anti-China views heavily influenced editorial policy, writer selection, and content in the editorial and Apple Forum sections. The bench found their testimonies “solid and irrefutable”, while dismissing Lai’s evidence as “contradictory, inconsistent, evasive, and unreliable”. Lai might have earned some respect had he frankly admitted the facts and based his defense on his political beliefs. Instead, he shamefully attempted to shift blame to his once-loyal subordinates and denied knowledge of the media group’s daily affairs. The evidence, however, clearly identifies him as the mastermind.

As the court concluded, the Apple Daily founder expressed “poisonous” views in his newspaper columns over the years and invited like-minded contributors to make “venomous assertions” against Beijing. The court also noted Lai’s eagerness to recruit young activists in his “fight for freedom” to spread his influence. The recent arrests of young people engaged in military training and seizure of military equipment are the latest victims of Lai’s toxic legacy.

Words cannot fully capture the evil Lai has inflicted on Hong Kong’s younger generation. Many, incited by Lai, were forced to flee to the United Kingdom or other countries after their involvement in the 2019-20 riots. Even in the recent Wang Fuk Court fire tragedy, reports emerged that several elderly victims were left alone in their flats because their children had fled to the UK. In my view, Lai deserves the severest penalty for the immense damage he has done to Hong Kong.

The author is an honorary fellow of HKU Space and Hong Kong Metropolitan University. He is a council member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies and an adviser with Our Hong Kong Foundation.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.