US embassy cable - 04HOCHIMINHCITY1159

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001159 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR CA/OCS/ACS/EAP, EAP/BCLTV 
 
BANGKOK FOR LEGAT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC, VM, CTERR, HUMANR 
SUBJECT: GVN Denies Detention/Mistreatment of Amcits 
 
REF:  A) HCMC 1108; B) HCMC 1032; C) HCMC 1057; 
D) HCMC 1100; E) HCMC 1048; F) State 176619 
 
1. The MFA's HCMC External Relations Office (ERO) has 
formally replied to the note delivered by post on August 17 
protesting the detention and mistreatment of several 
American citizens (ref A).  The text of the reply is 
provided below. 
 
2. Quote: 
 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
The Office of External Relations in Ho Chi Minh City 
No.: 3553/NV/LS 
 
The Office of External Relations in Ho Chi Minh City 
presents its compliments to the Consulate General of the 
United States in Ho Chi Minh City and would like to respond 
to the Consulate General's diplomatic note No. 254/04 as 
follows: 
 
As the Office of External Relations explained to the 
Consulate General of the United States in diplomatic notes 
no. 3205/NV/LS, dated 12 August 2004, and no. 3241/NV/LS, 
dated 16 August 2004, regarding the case of Hoang The Lan, 
the Security Investigation Office of the Ministry of Public 
Security received a letter denouncing a number of U.S. 
passport holders as members of the terrorist organization 
"National United Front For the Liberation of Vietnam," led 
by Hoang Co Dinh and Nguyen Kim in the United States, who 
had entered Vietnam to carry out terrorist and destructive 
activities. 
 
In order to clarify this denunciatory letter, the police 
invited these people to the Immigration Bureau of the 
Ministry of Public Security for discussion (not for arrest 
or temporary detention). They admitted that they were 
members of the above organization, but denied entering 
Vietnam to carry out terrorist activities. 
 
The Security Investigation Office of the Ministry of Public 
Security has investigated and confirmed that there have been 
no cases of U.S. passport holders being arrested, beaten or 
mistreated as stated in the U.S. Consulate General's 
diplomatic note no. 254/04.  These allegations are 
fabricated and slanderously false. 
 
The Office of External Relations in Ho Chi Minh City avails 
itself of this opportunity to renew to the Consulate General 
of the United States in Ho Chi Minh City the assurances of 
its highest consideration. 
 
Ho Chi Minh City, September 3, 2004 
 
End quote. 
 
Winnick