Woman jailed for joining US terrorist organization

Nguyen Thi Bach Hue, 60, was sentenced by the Long An People's Court for "Activities against the people's government."

The court said Hue’s actions were especially severe and stemming from personal motives to undermine the state. Hue wanted to receive money and houses from the terrorist organization "Chinh Phu Quoc Gia Viet Nam Lam Thoi" (The Provisional National Government of Vietnam) based in the U.S., and while she wanted to quit, she feared being retaliated for doing so.

Four years prior, Hue visited a pagoda in HCMC and met a Vietnamese woman from the U.S. called "sister 9". The woman later tried to recruit Hue into the terrorist organization led by Dao Minh Quan, promising her money and houses.

Hue then created social media accounts to make contact with the organization and entered it. She used mobile applications to have online meetings with other members, and was tasked with spreading information about Quan and posting articles to undermine the state.

From 2020 to mid-2021, Hue used seven social medial accounts and seven Gmail addresses to communicate with the other members. She was an active member and so was granted several titles in the organization.

Hue was also sponsored VND10 million ($397.18) from the organization, then she was arrested in April 2023.

Quan, who self-proclaimed to be the organization's "prime minister," was wanted in August 2017 for terrorism. Since 2013, he and other members of the organization have formed websites and blogs to recruit people into their ranks, with the goal of terrorism.