Former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) yesterday asked whether President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) reappointment of former National Security Bureau (NSB) director-general Tsai Chao-ming (蔡朝明) was “a reward for what he did” during the 2004 assassination attempt on his life and that of his running mate Annette Lu (呂秀蓮), known as the “319 Incident.”
In a statement, Chen said Tsai as head of the NSB was responsible for presidential security when the “319 Incident” occurred and was impeached by the Control Yuan for “major negligence.”
However, after Ma took office in May last year, he re-appointed him as NSB head.
“Does it mean President Ma used the appointment as a reward for what director Tsai did in the 319 shooting incident?” Chen asked.
Tsai resigned in April amid an alleged power struggle within the bureau.
Chen asked Minister of Justice Wang Ching-feng (王清峰), State Prosecutor-General Chen Tsung-ming (陳聰明) and the Special Investigation Panel to answer his question and many others.
“I, as the victim of an assassination attempt, want to know the truth of the matter more than anyone else,” he said.
Chen made the remarks following a report — made public by the Control Yuan on Nov. 11 — that found several flaws in the investigation into the shooting.
The Tainan Public Prosecutor’s Office closed the case in 2005, saying the shooting was the work of lone gunman Chen Yi-hsiung (陳義雄), who was found dead 10 days after the incident.
The former president reiterated in yesterday’s statement that he had not staged the shooting, nor did he rig the election.
Chen said it was “regrettable” and “unfathomable” that Control Yuan members did not talk to him about the incident during their investigation.
“Was it deliberate so they could concoct a phony issue and insinuate that I staged the shooting incident?” he said.
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