Man tells of Triad initiation

A TRIAD member yesterday described how he carried out ritual initiation ceremonies for recruits in the basement of his Chinese restaurant.

Ng Lo, 48, told a jury at the Old Bailey that he was a member of the Sui Fong Triad gang in Britain, but claimed he had never been involved in crimes.

He was giving evidence against six men accused of planning an attack on Ying Kit Lam, a Hong Kong businessman. Mr Lam, 31, was shot and wounded in Chinatown, London, in September 1991. The court has heard George Wai Hen Cheung admit to shooting Mr Lam, who it is alleged, was the leader of a rival faction attempting to take control of Sui Fong, also known as the Wo On Lok Triad, in Britain.

The six: Clifford Wai Ming Tang, 36, of Astley, Manchester; Jason Shui Cheung Wan, 31, of Holloway, north London; Tak Kam Chow, 41, of Southgate, north London; David Chong Chi Chan, 25, of Highfields, near Sheffield; Danny Wai Yuen Liu, 31, of Southampton and Wai Wan Ho, 42, of Maida Vale, north-west London, all deny conspiracy to inflict grievous harm. Mr Tang and Mr Wan also deny conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Mr Tang denies possessing a gun with intent to commit an offence.

Mr Ng said he joined the Triad as a teenager in Hong Kong, to escape bullying.

After coming to Britain in 1968 as a chef he worked with Clifford Tang in Manchester. Later Mr Tang visited him at his former restaurant in Fulham, west London. Mr Tang asked him about the Hung Mun secret society, an historical organisation from which modern Triads developed.

Mr Ng said he taught Mr Tang the initiation ceremony. He said Mr Tang was present at an initiation ceremony held in the basement of the restaurant.

The trial continues.