Feb 07, 2005

Taiwan: Five Men Charged in Taiwan over Gun Used in Election Eve Shooting


Five Taiwanese men have been indicted for the alleged manufacturing of the gun and bullets used in the mysterious election eve shooting of President Chen Shui-bian
Five Taiwanese men have been indicted for the alleged manufacturing of the gun and bullets used in the mysterious election eve shooting of President Chen Shui-bian, it was reported Sunday.

The gang led by Tang Shou-yi were charged by the southern Tainan district court of illegally manufacturing and posessing firearms, the United Daily News reported.

Police have retrieved 55 out of the some 90 guns Tang made, prosecutor Wang Sun-jung was cited by the daily as saying, adding that police have also found 1,248 bullets.

Twenty other suspects have been taken into custody, but it is not clear if anyone of them is the gunman or can identify the gunman, chief prosecutor Liu Wei-tsung said.

President Chen and Vice President Annette Lu were slightly wounded on March 19 when two bullets grazed their bodies as they campaigned in an open-topped jeep in southern Tainan.

Angry opposition politicians claimed the shooting was staged in an attempt to secure a sympathy vote for Chen in the closing stages of the election.

Chen won re-election the day after the attack by a mere 0.22 percent margin, prompting mass demonstrations from opposition supporters alleging foul play.

 

Source: AFP