Thread by @jseldin

Happening now: @TheJusticeDept unseals 3 cases involving #China's efforts -the Chinese Communist party- "to suppress dissenting voices within the #UnitedStates"

"This activity is antithetical to American values" per Asst AG Matthew Olsen

Each plot is a separate case, he says

#China gvt's secret police - the MSS - directed the actions against the pro-democracy activists, in 1 case threatening harm to a US military veteran running for public office, per US Attorney Breon Peace

Per US Attorney Breon Peace, US charging:

- 1 individual working for the MSS
- head of a democracy group who allegedly betrayed his organization to gather information
- 2 US residents working under direction of a PRC company

More info from @TheJusticeDept

Details on charges vs 59yo Qiming Lin, charged with working for #China's MSS and w/trying to disrupt the campaign of a Brooklyn, NT resident running for Congress

Details on charges vs 73yo Shujun Wang, accused of acting as an agent of the PRC government

Details on charges vs 62yo Frank Liu, 49yo Matthew Zilburn & 40yo Qiang Sun

"What I think we've seen is that authoritarian regimes have determined that they can seek to extend their efforts beyond their borders into the #UnitedStates to harass or intimidate, threaten, silence their critics" per @TheJusticeDept's Olsen

"I would say it's what we've seen in terms of the overall rise of authoritarianism around the world that is in part responsible for the number of cases that we're seeing inside the United States" per @TheJusticeDept's Olsen "That's why we take this threat so seriously"

.@FBI warns of foreign gvt's using private investigators

"I would urge all pvt investigators...who have been approached by foreign governments to immediately report such requests to the FBI" per Counterintelligence Division Asst Dir Alan Kohler

re #China