Harvard research associate Ross Terrill has made quite a few trips to China since 1964. And until two weeks ago, he had always left of his own free will.

But all that changed on September 2 when Chinese authorities expelled the famed journalist and author from Beijing for his support of Chinese student dissident Shen Tong.

"This has been kind of a shock to be in custody and kicked out, considering that my academic and writing careers are centered around China," said Terrill in an interview yesterday. "Nothing like that has ever happened to me before...it's all because of the nervousness about Shen Tong."

Terrill was in China to advise his friend Shen, 24, one of the student leaders who fled to the U.S. after the defeat of pro-democracy forces in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Shen, whom Terrill said he has been advising for the last 18 months, had returned to China a few weeks before the incident to further the pro-democracy movement in his native land.

But Shen's efforts and Terrill's visit ended abruptly when Chinese police threw Shen in prison for "engaging in illegal activities."

The next morning, when Terrill conducted a press conference which Shen was to attend, the Chinese government broke up the meeting and detained Terrill for few hours.

"I highlighted a few things before the police closed in and pushed me into an elevator to get me away from the journalists and alone into my room," Terrill said.

"Of course I was vulnerable because I handed out materials which, as the Chinese police explained to me, were unacceptable to the Chinese people." Terrill said.. "I asked them how they knew the materials weren't acceptable when they never hold election to consult the Chinese people."

Terrill was allowed to return to his hotel that night, but police returned after midnight to send him back to the U.S. because his action were "incompatible with his status as a tourist."

"But at least the world press saw and related what really happened over there," he said. "I'd say the Chinesegovernment shot itself in the foot...Shen is farbetter known in China and in the world now than hewas [two weeks] ago."

Terrill said Shen has not contacted anyoneexcept for writing two letters to his mother inChina. But Terrill said he doubts the Chinese will"kill him or treat him harshly" because of hisnear-celebrity status.

"I'd be surprised if they don't release [Shen]or expel him in the next few weeks," Terrill said.

Students at Brandeis University, where Shenstudied from 1989-91 before beginning graduatework at Boston University, held a rally onSeptember 10 in support of their alumnus.

Dennis Nealon, a Brandeis Universityspokesperson, said more than 100 students attendedto support Shen and "bolster demands in the UnitedStates that he be freed."

Terrill said Shen was one of the last TiananmenSquare leaders to go back because "he's been themost skillful in integrating himself into thewestern culture. He has connections in Boston andWashington, and he is friendly with senators inboth parties."