Man threatening Ma's daughters released on bail

The 50-year-old man, identified only by his family name Chen, was picked up by agents of the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) which is handling the investigation, at his residence in an apartment building on Section 3 of Zhongxiao East Road early Thursday evening.

Chen confessed that he did have written a message on a Web site, threatening the lives of the president's two adult daughters.

The suspect, a computer engineer who was married with two sons, told police during questioning that he had made the threat because he was dissatisfied with the state of affairs in Taiwan, including the government's efforts seeking a trade pact with China to avoid the marginalization of Taiwan economy, according to senior officials at the CIB.

Chen was turned over to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office that ordered his release on bail of NT$50,000 after questioning him for more than one hour yesterday morning.

The threat was made in a Chinese-language article posted online by Chen under the heading, “Don't think you're safe just because you're in the U.S,” referring to Ma's two daughters who both reside in the U.S.

Chen also urged Taiwanese people living in the U.S. to kill the two sisters who are in their 20s.

CIB agents started a manhunt hours after they were alerted to the online threat, although the message was removed only a couple of hours later.

Local police and security authorities had at first asked Washington for help, thinking that Chen was staying in the United States because he was using a U.S. Yahoo account. But they soon tracked him down in Taipei.

According to police, Chen's wife and children were shocked to see him arrested.

Chen apologized during questioning, saying that no concrete actions related to the threat were taken. He also said that he had no idea the article — one of 30 that he posted on the site — was written for the purpose releasing emotional feelings would have caused such a stir.

Presidential Office spokesman Lo Chih-chiang declined to comment on the matter, saying only that the president had been fully informed of the incident and security around the first family had been tightened.

Chen was expected to be indicted by prosecutors on charges of instigating criminal acts or obstructing public order.

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