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Police see pattern in railway sabotage

Two women walk along the railway track near Chuwei, Pingtung County. Authorities have issued warnings to people to avoid loitering along railway lines in the wake of recent accidents. PHOTO: KUO CHING-HUI, TAIPEI TIMES

National Police Agency Director-General Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) yesterday said that five of six acts of apparent sabotage targeting the nation's railway network over the past two years might be the work of the same people.

Hou made the comment during a meeting of the legislature's Home and Nations Committee while answering legislators' questions on the incidents that have dogged the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA).

"So far we haven't identified any suspects, but we are assuming that the perpetrators possess extensive knowledge of the rail system and track engineering," he said.

Hou added that possibly disgruntled individuals, including TRA workers and contractors and residents living near the sabotage sites, may have been responsible and that this was being looked into.

A derailment in Pingtung County last Friday killed one person and injured two others. It was the sixth time in two years that the Southern Link Line -- which connects the southeast and southwest coasts -- has been vandalized.

"Apart from an incident in which somebody cut an electric cable, the five incidents all occurred because spring anchors had been removed," Hou said.

In response to a question from People First Party (PFP) Legislator Chang Hsien-yao (張顯耀), Minister of the Interior Lee Yi-yang (李逸洋) said the government was considering installing infrared monitors along the Southern Link Line.

Chang demanded Lee promise that he would resign if the case could not be solved within six months, saying that the matter should be regarded as an index of the performance of Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), who pledged to improve public order within that timeframe.

Lee, however, refused to make the promise.

"We will spare no effort to solve this case," he said.

also see story:
Editorial: Train sabotage not an isolated case

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