Taiwan’s Bamboo Union gang boss dies of cancer

Chen Chi-li, head of the Bamboo Union gang, died of pancreatic cancer at a Hong Kong hospital Thursday night at the age of 64, according the Central News Agency.

Chen was convicted and given life by a Taiwan court for murdering Chinese-American writer Henry Liu in San Francisco in 1984.

The court determined that Chen acted on the order from military intelligence chief of the time, Wang Hsi-ling, who wanted Liu dead because of a controversial biography he had written on then President Chiang Ching-kuo.

Wang recruited the gang boss and two of his lieutenants and gave them brief training for the assassination. Wang and Chen’s lieutenants were also convicted.

Chen hadn’t served less than seven years in prison before he was released in 1991, after his sentence was twice commuted in line with two nationwide amnesty programs.

But in 1996 he fled to Cambodia after he was accused of being involved in a scam, and had never returned.

Taipei’s representative office would offer help to Chen’s family to take his body back to Taiwan, according to the CNA.

Media reports speculated that the Bamboo Union would hold a high-profile funeral for Chen in Taiwan.

Police in Taiwan have formed a task force to monitor the possible impacts of Chen’s death on the local gang world, said Kao Cheng-sheng, deputy director of the Criminal Investigation Bureau.

The task force consists of officers from northern Taiwan where the Bamboo Gang is most active, the official said.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

PrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email