by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet)

Tuesday, 09-Jul-2002 10:20PM

According to AFP's report on July 10, Hong Kong police have joined a probe into the overriding of satellite signals of Chinese government-run television stations after the government accused it was done by Falun Gong.

A Chinese information ministry spokesman told Ming Pao daily that last month's satellite overriding was done from overseas, not from the mainland. And several places including Hong Kong could have been the source of the overriding, the spokesman said.

However, Sophie Xiao, a Hong Kong-based spokeswoman for Falun Gong, said "this is another of the excuses by Chinese authorities to extend their persecution of Falun Gong outside China".

"They have been doing that for quite some time through their embassies and consulates overseas by collecting information on the group," she told AFP.

"They also use diplomatic channels to stop Falun Gong activities abroad."

http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/au/Qhongkong-sect-china.R2g0_ClA.html