June 6, 2005 Monday
FOUR newly arrived Chinese men in Melbourne are suspected of being spies for the Chinese Government, according to the Falun Gong spiritual group.
Falun Gong representatives said the men were among dozens of Chinese Government spies planted in their organisation to identify and inform on Falun Gong practitioners in Australia.
"There are about four in Melbourne at the moment," Falun Gong spokeswoman Katerina Vereshaka said.
"It's a very sensitive issue . . . there's a few people we are not quite sure about at the moment, they have a certain character and they are very quiet."
Ms Vereshaka said numerous attempts had been made to hack into Falun Gong's database and email network. And a prominent Sydney member recently had a dead cat left on her doorstep with a threat that she and her family could be next.
Ms Vereshaka and NSW Falun Dafa member John Deller said the Australian Federal Police had confirmed the group had been infiltrated by Chinese spies.
The claims come after a senior Chinese diplomat in Sydney, Chen Yonglin, alleged that China had 1000 spies in Australia keeping tabs on democracy advocates and dissidents, and had kidnapped several people.
Mr Chen, 37, has left his post and sought asylum in Australia in a case that promises to test Australia's diplomatic relations with China.
[...]
Falun Gong is outlawed by the Chinese Government, which calls it [...] 1. Its members claim more than 2000 practitioners have died in police custody in China.
Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone is considering a final appeal to grant asylum to Falun Gong practitioner Tang Xianhui, who, after his application was rejected, is being held at Maribyrnong detention centre pending deportation.
Mr Tang claims to face persecution if deported.
1. A slanderous word routinely used by Chinese authorities against Falun Gong was omitted.