Print

Mail

wiki links

Politician escapes kidnapping attempt

A former legislator was shot and injured yesterday morning after jumping from a car to escape a kidnapping attempt.

Police said Lee Sen-zong (李顯榮) was in stable condition after undergoing medical treatment.

Lee is a former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmaker who switched allegiance to the Democratic Progressive Party last year after failing to win the KMT's nomination. He was defeated in last month's legislative elections.

National Police Agency (NPA) Director Hou You-yi (侯友宜) told reporters that the incident took place around 5am yesterday when Lee got into his car after dining at a friend's home in Wugu (五股), Taipei County.

Quoting Lee, police said he noticed a white car following him. The white car hit Lee's car, forcing him to stop, and two armed men got out of the vehicle and jumped inside his car. One of the suspects took control of his car and drove toward a mountainous area in Linkou (林口), Taipei County.

When the car passed by a police car parked in front of a convenience store, Lee took a chance and jumped out of the moving vehicle, police said.

One of the suspects fired two gunshots at Lee, with one hitting him in the shoulder. Lee was rushed to National Taiwan University Hospital by police.

Police said the two suspects abandoned the car and fled.

Lee said in an interview with the police that he did not know the two suspects, who said they wanted a ransom of NT$100,000 (US$3,000) after forcing him into the backseat of his car.

Hou said that according to Lee, the two men were in their twenties, spoke Taiwanese and said their boss, nicknamed A-Ming (阿明), ordered them to kidnap Lee.

Lee told police he was able to clearly see the faces of the two suspects.

Hou said police were investigating whether the kidnapping was related to the election or a financial dispute.

Lee said that he was not in dispute with anyone, Hou said.

Later yesterday, police found that the white car used by the suspects was leased by a man surnamed Tseng from a car rental firm in Banciao (板橋), Taipei County.

The hospital refused to disclose details about Lee's condition, but confirmed that the bullet was not lodged in his body and that he was not in critical condition.

Hospital spokesman Tan Ching-ting (譚慶鼎) was quoted by the Central News Agency as saying that it had not been authorized to release details about Lee's condition.

Minister of the Interior Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) said in a statement yesterday that he had ordered the NPA to set up a special task force to investigate the shooting.

"The police have found many items, including bullet casings, at the crime scene. We'll examine what we've found, identify the target and close in," Hou said.

"I'm sure we'll find out what happened and catch the suspects soon," Hou said.

Politicians across party lines yesterday expressed their concern and wished Lee a speedy recovery.

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY LOA IOK-SIN, JENNY W. HSU AND ANGELICA OUNG
This story has been viewed 2448 times.