Sorry, but this is pretty much BS fantasy mixed in with elements of reality.
True elements
- USG did provide funding to rioters directly and indirectly through intermediaries like Jimmy Lai.
- There are a lot of "trainers" on Taiwan who claim to be military/ex-military/specialists etc. doing hand-to-hand combat classes, "firearms" classes (with airsoft), such as Kuma academy. They are essentially just LARPers and not really tied to the military.
- Some bomb making materials were recovered from some investigations
All the other stuff was basically China Collapse/HK Independence fanfic. Yes, these guys actually probably believed in this stuff, but pretty much on par with the US rednecks who think they will do their part to take down the deep state by shooting down USAF F-16s with their AR-15 because it has a really good scope. Huge difference between what they believe (or wanted to happen) vs. reality. Someone once posted a Taiwan comic with a woman pilot that shoots down 10 J-20s with her F-16.
Honestly, if you think about it objectively, life imprisonment is unnecessary. You imprison them for 5 years, even 3 years. Who will hire them? One of them was already an 22-yo unemployed guy. Probably an underachieving-incel type. No surprise they would hatch an anti-social plot.
PS. No death penalty in HK.
These snippets are allegedly from the ongoing jimmy Lai trials that has been stitched together. I am a bit skeptical,but considering how unhinged the anti government forces can get I wouldn't put it pass them to attempt something like this.