Wednesday, 2 April 2008

Jury selected in trial of Cambodian coup leader

The Associated Press
04/01/2008

LOS ANGELES—A jury was selected Tuesday for the trial of a Long Beach man who allegedly attempted to overthrow Cambodia's government in 2000.

Opening statements were to begin Wednesday in U.S. District Court for Yasith Chhun, the president of the Cambodian Freedom Fighters, who has pleaded not guilty to charges that he orchestrated attacks on several government buildings in Phnom Penh.

Chhun met with former members of the Khmer Rouge military at the Cambodia-Thailand border in October 1998 to plan an overthrow of the government of Prime Minister Hun Sen, according to prosecutors.

The failed coup resulted in the deaths of at least three CFF members and injured an unknown number of civilians, police and soldiers, according to the U.S. government.

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