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Presidential Office lauds 319 task force for its work

The Presidential Office yesterday issued a brief statement expressing gratitude for the hard work over nearly a year by the task force investigating last year's election-eve assassination attempt on President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮).

"The president and the vice president, being the persons concerned in the shooting, respect both the investigators and prosecutors' professionalism in the investigation," the statement said. "They hope the task force will continue to take a prudent approach in their investigation and that the truth will soon be uncovered."

The Presidential Office also expressed hope that the governing and opposition parties could reconcile, as the truth about the March 19 assassination attempt is gradually made clearer.

In separate comments, Lu yesterday dismissed claims by pan-blue camp members that the named suspect was merely a "scapegoat."

"Unlike the old [Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)] administration which ... would arrest people at will in the middle of night and then announce that the case had been solved, the government led by President Chen and I attach great important to human rights and legal procedures, and therefore would not name someone in relation to a case without solid evidence," the vice president said.

"I am grateful for the breakthrough in the case, which has proven both President Chen and I innocent in the shooting," Lu added, referring to the claim made by pan-blue camp politicians and supporters that the shooting was staged by Chen to sway sympathy votes in his favor.

Meanwhile, Premier Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) yesterday lauded the law enforcement officials' nearly year-long efforts, and claimed that the latest breakthrough in the case will contribute to stabilizing social and political conditions.

The premier added that if necessary the government could invite Henry Lee (李昌鈺), a US forensic scientist who led a team to Taiwan in April to probe the shooting, to return for further investigation.

Hsieh also issued the directive that investigators should focus on whether the alleged shooter Chen Yi-hsiung (陳義雄) had any accomplices, and whether he was manipulated by a crime ring.

Hsieh yesterday said he was first informed of the news on the investigation by Interior Minister Su Jia-chyuan (蘇嘉全) on Sunday night.

Su said he in turn had been informed earlier that day by the director of the National Police Administration of a "major breakthrough" in the case.

"I did not know then any details," Su said, adding that he would respect the results of the investigation brought forth by the State Public Prosecutor General's Office.
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