Prime Minister Hun Sen on Wednesday threatened to release 11-year-old "spy documents," in an apparent threat to his political rival, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, ahead of national elections.
Prince Ranariddh, who is living in exile and facing an 18-month prison sentence on charges related to embezzling, recently criticized opposition leader Sam Rainsy for withdrawing a suit against Hun Sen. And Hun Sen and the prince have been trading public barbs in recent weeks.
Prince Ranariddh runs a self-named political party that draws from royalist supporters, but Hun Sen has said his ruling Cambodian People's Party will remain political allies with the traditional royalist party, Funcinpec.
Hun Sen threatened to release information linking Prince Ranariddh to the deceased Khmer Rouge commander Ta Mok.
"Now my spy council is making 200 to 300 photocopies of articles and CD-VCDs," Hun Sen said at an opening ceremony for a sprinkler system in Kandal province, though he didn't elaborate on the contents of those documents and did not name Prince Ranariddh specifically.
"If you dare to jump, they will be disseminated," Hun Sen said.