It is certainly something worthy of celebration for any right-thinking people that Hong Kong police have just seized another batch of firearms and ammunition including 390 bullets during a raid on a village house in Yuen Long on Tuesday morning. It is spine-chilling for anyone to think of the consequences had this ammunition escaped police surveillance and should it be used in any conflict involving hordes of people such as a violent protest like those Hong Kong has frequently witnessed over the past year. After all, flying bullets do not discriminate!

Have those political demagogues, maneuvering under the masks of law scholars, pastors, teachers or legislators, realized how much harm they have caused to the city’s rule of law by floating toxic ideas such as “breaking the law to achieve justice”, intoxicating the most gullible — the youth?

The police were still trying to investigate the intended use of the firearms and ammunition on Wednesday. But the odds are high that the newly-seized firearms and ammunition has to do with the year-long violent anti-government campaign, which has bred a horde of extremists in the city. They are extremists so they have not been deterred by by the maximum penalty of 14 years in jail for the possession of firearms or ammunition without a permit; they are extremists because they have no qualms about resorting to terrorist acts to promote their political agenda.

Aside from cases of illegal possession of firearms or ammunition, Hong Kong police have also uncovered an increasing number of bomb plots since social unrest broke out last June. A total of 14 bomb cases have been uncovered since October, with powerful explosive TATP (triacetone triperoxide) having been seized in some cases. TATP was the explosive used by terrorists when they launched deadly attacks in Paris, Brussels, Manchester, London and Barcelona over the past several years.

Whatever political stance a person holds, he/she should be grateful that the police have successfully seized those tons of explosive materials. His/her parents, spouse, siblings, relatives, friends or colleagues could be among the victims or casualties even if he/she would be lucky enough to escape a bomb explosion in any of the city’s crowded urban areas.

It must be heartbreaking for any person who really loves Hong Kong to see the city, once one of the world’s safest, descending into a breeding ground for terrorism. In the Gallup 2018 Global Law and Order report, which asks local residents to assess city safety, Hong Kong was ranked sixth out of 142 countries and regions.

Have those political demagogues, maneuvering under the masks of law scholars, pastors, teachers or legislators, realized how much harm they have caused to the city’s rule of law by floating toxic ideas such as “breaking the law to achieve justice”, intoxicating the most gullible — the youth? Misdeeds, like chickens, will come home to roost.