Terror in Little Saigon

The Vietnam War may now be mostly relegated to history, but one of the more mysterious footnotes is a series of 1980s cold case murders of Vietnamese refugees, journalists, critics, and those who sought a dialogue with Vietnam's new Communist government—killings that attracted little attention and remain unsolved. This PBS-aired Frontline documentary, directed by Richard Rowley and reported by A.C. Thompson, explores a shadowy organization comprised of former military officers (many of them Navy SEALs) known simply as "The Front," as well as a super secret hit squad labeled "K-9” that was tasked with silencing anyone who was inclined to favor the Communists. Little forensic evidence was left at the death sites—no shell casings or eyewitnesses—and crime scene investigations were marked by missed leads and lost opportunities. Incredibly, "The Front" seemed to hope to mount a military operation to retake Vietnam, probably by way of Thailand. Says one observer, "for them, the war never ended." Thompson visits reunions of former South Vietnamese soldiers and government men, and while some are willing to talk on camera, a wall of silence falls regarding the subject of who may have been responsible for ordering the hits. The level of professionalism involved coupled with the existence of highly redacted FBI documents strongly suggest U.S. government support. Apparently, "The Front" and "K-9" are no longer active, and the family members of murder victims are left with unanswered questions and their grief. Although any chance for justice now seems remote, there are no statute of limitations on homicide. Shedding light on a remarkably overlooked, murderous Cold War militia, this is recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)