Airports in Taoyuan and Taipei’s Songshan Distict (松山) received a total of nine e-mails or telephone calls threatening with explosive devices ahead of a visit by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the Civil Aeronautics Administration said last night.
In addition to the first at 9:10am yesterday, Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport received six similar messages via e-mails or phone calls, the administration said.
The Taipei International Airport’s (Songshan airport) information desk received two phone calls at 3:50pm and 5:18pm.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
One person said that they have planted bombs in trash cans, while the other said they would detonate explosives strapped to their bodies when they arrive at the airport.
A preliminary police investigation found that the telephone numbers and the IP addresses from which the e-mails were sent were registered overseas.
Taoyuan International Airport Corp said that it has reported the threats to the Aviation Police Bureau, the Civil Aeronautics Administration and the Office of Homeland Security.
“We take any statement that threatens to compromise aviation safety seriously, so people should not think that they can be free from any legal consequences for making such statements,” Criminal Investigation Brigade Chief Chen Pei-shu (陳沛樹) told a news conference. “We also ask the public not to share such information online.”
The bureau’s security inspection brigade, and security and patrol brigade would work with the company to ensure the safety of the nation’s largest international airport, Chen said.
An ad hoc team has been formed comprising investigators from the bureau’s criminal investigation brigade and the Criminal Investigation Bureau’s Ninth Investigation Corps to investigate the matter, Chen said.
The corps specializes in crimes conducted over the Internet, he said.
“The Taoyuan District Prosecutors’ Office has ordered investigators to gather evidence to pursue the suspect,” Chen said.
In preparation for Pelosi’s visit, the Taipei City Police Department yesterday afternoon deployed hundreds of officers from its criminal investigation division, Songshan District (松山) precinct and Thunder Squad to guard the airport. They are to be in charge of her security detail during her stay.
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