A taxi driver who claimed authorities in his hometown of Taichung were persecuting him tried to drive his car containing two bottles of gasoline into the Presidential Office compound yesterday.
Police stopped him and no one was harmed during the incident.
Hsueh Ai-min (薛愛民), 47, drove his car from Taichung yesterday morning and tried to enter the Presidential Office from Chungching S. Road at around noon yesterday.
The military police stopped Hsueh's car and asked him what he was doing.
"When the police first stopped him, they found two bottles of gasoline in the seat next to Hsueh, which they immediately confiscated," Presidential Office spokesman James Huang (
"Hsueh said he was protesting oppression by the [Ministry of Justice] Investigation Bureau's personnel in Taichung, and the gasoline was so he could burn himself to death," Huang said.
Huang said that after the police confiscated the gasoline, Hsueh tried to drive his car into the square in front of the Presidential Office, but was stopped once again.
Hsueh was taken to Taipei City Police Headquarters' Chungcheng First Precinct for questioning.
He told the police and media that his wife had been poisoned, the Investigation Bureau was following him and some Taichung City councilors were trying to harm him.
Hsueh's family later told the media that he had a long history of mental illness.
The Presidential Office nevertheless stressed that the public should not focus on whether the illegal behavior was caused by mental illness.
"Hsueh's mental stability needs further examination, and it is important to investigate if there was some hidden motive" behind his actions, Huang said.
"Mental illness cannot be an excuse for an attack on the Presidential Office," Huang said, adding that he should be punished according to the law.
Huang said that immediately after the incident the Presidential Office tightened up its security and reported to the president, vice president and other top-level officials through emergency communications channels.
"The incident did not pose any threat to the president or vice president, and their schedules remained unaffected. The president also approved the prompt response of the security staff and police," Huang said.
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