Committee put on alert for possible attacks in Taiwan

Minister of Interior Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) confirmed yesterday that the government had formed a special committee to react to any possible terrorist attacks in Taiwan.

"Once the war is launched, the committee will be on alert," Yu said yesterday.

Five government departments -- the National Security Council (NSC), the Ministry of National Defense (MND), the Ministry of the Interior (MOI), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) -- are coordinating the nation's anti-terrorism efforts.

Cheng Jung-chin (鄭榮進), deputy director-general of the National Police Administration, said that the nation's 70,000 policemen are beefing up security measures at the airports, bus and railway stations, nuclear power plants, diplomatic bases, sea ports and places frequently visited by foreigners.

Cheng told reporters that his department has held numerous anti-terrorism exercises in the past couple of months.

The director of the Investigation Bureau under the MOJ, Yeh Sheng-mao (葉盛茂), also announced yesterday that the investigation bureau is on the alert, saying it is closely monitoring war developments and is working to prevent terrorist attacks in Taiwan.

"The investigation bureau will inform local police stations right away if any information shows their areas will be attacked," Yeh said.

According to government officials, Taiwan was warned twice of possible attacks over the past two months. MOFA's Houston office received an e-mail on Sept. 23 warning that Taiwan could be one of the potential targets in the Asia-Pacific area for a terrorist attack.