Renowned Chinese-American forensic expert Henry Lee (李昌鈺) arrived in Taipei from New York yesterday for an eight-day visit.
Lee said that he has come at the invitation of the Ministry of Justice's Bureau of Investigation, and that the visit is mainly to prepare for an international forensic meeting to be held here next year.
The meeting will discuss the implications of the latest high-tech advancements in the field of forensic science as well as international trends in the field, he said.
Lee, who conducted a forensic investigation into the March 19 election-eve assassination attempt on President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) said that if time permits, he will also visit the Criminal Investigation Bureau to learn the latest developments in the case.
Noting that an underground gunsmith has recently been detained by the investigation team, Lee said that the it has found key evidence in the case after sifting through a myriad of seemingly unrelated things, which he said is a "breakthrough."
Pointing out that a forensic investigator starts by collecting physical evidence, then gathers clues which lead to suspects, and then determines the motives in a case, Lee said he was glad to learn that the investigation team has proceeded along this path in its probe. Lee urged those who have purchased guns from the underground gunsmith to come forward and cooperate with the authorities, and called for the government to offer amnesty to those who give themselves up. He said that questioning those who have bought the guns may lead to the apprehension of the person or persons involved in the assassination attempt in Tainan.
Sources said that members of the investigation team are expected to meet with Lee during his stay, and if necessary, physical evidence, including remodeled bullets, will be given to Lee to take back to the US for further examination.
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