`Rice bomber' gets seven-and-a-half year jail sentence

Supporters of Yang Ju-men yesterday perform a skit outside the Taipei District Court, blasting the government for ignoring the plight of Taiwan's farmers. PHOTO: CHEN TSE-MING, TAIPEI TIMES

The Taipei District Court yesterday sentenced Yang Ju-men (楊儒門) -- also known as the "rice bomber" -- to seven and a half years in jail for planting home-made bombs in public places on 17 occasions to protest the government's policy on rice imports.

"Taiwan is a country ruled by law. People's appeals or requests should be made through the country's legal system, not through such extreme measures," the court said in its ruling on Yang.

"Although Yang said he was skilled enough to control the bombs so that they wouldn't injure anyone -- and in fact he did not hurt anybody -- his conduct put innocent people in extreme danger, and created a sense of panic," the ruling said.

The ruling said 26 year-old Yang's conduct had a negative effect on society by encouraging those who feel dissatisfied to use extreme methods in order to win attention to their cause and force others to hear what they have to say.

Yang homemade bombs in Taipei parks and other public places 17 times, from October 2003 through last November. He earned the nickname "the rice bomber" because he left small packets of rice with his explosives, along with notes accusing the government of threatening the survival of local farmers and condemning its rice import policy.

As Yang was leaving the Taipei District Court, his family, fellow townspeople from Changhua County and social activists staged a rally in his support in front of the courthouse, and protested the court's sentence.

"The government is guilty, not Yang," the protesters shouted.

Yang's told reporters they would appeal the case to the Taiwan High Court because they believe the sentence was too heavy.

In addition to his seven and a half years of jail time, Yang was also fined NT$100,000 (US$2,975) for violating the Gun Control Act (槍砲彈藥管制條例). That act stipulates that violators are to be sentenced to death, life in jail or a prison term of at least seven years.