Taoyuan International Airport Corp yesterday confirmed that it had received an e-mail threatening to bomb the airport if Taiwan did not cease activities advocating for independence.
An ad hoc team was formed to investigate as soon as the Aviation Police Bureau received the report from the airport operator, said Chuang Ying-shou (莊英壽), deputy head of the bureau’s Criminal Investigation Squad.
“Our preliminary investigation showed that the e-mail was sent from an offshore IP address. Officers at our security patrol squad and security inspection squad have enhanced security inspection at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport,” Chuang said, adding that the bureau takes every statement threatening aviation safety seriously.
Photo: Yao Chieh-hsiu, Taipei Times
The operator said that the anonymous e-mail sender claimed that they had placed bombs at the airport and demanded that Taiwan stop all activities related to Taiwanese independence.
The e-mail, which was delivered to the airport’s customer service inbox on Sunday, was not discovered by information technology specialists until yesterday, sources familiar with the matter said.
Prior to yesterday’s incident, the airport operator had received an e-mail on Aug. 2 ahead of the visit by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan in 25 years.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
In the e-mail, the writer said that they had planted three explosive devices at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to prevent Pelosi’s arrival.
The bureau traced the source of the e-mail to an offshore IP address as well.
The airport company yesterday said that it immediately informed the Aviation Police Bureau and other agencies about the threatening e-mail in accordance with standard operating procedures, adding that aviation police officers and airport security were asked to step up patrols.
Airport personnel were also asked to bolster security inspections, pay attention to suspicious people and unidentified items and report them immediately, it said.
Article 105 of the Civil Aviation Act (民用航空法) stipulates that “anyone disseminating false information such as to jeopardize flight safety shall be subject to imprisonment of up to three years, detention or a fine of up to NT$1 million [US$31,429].”
“They would be subject to imprisonment for three to 10 years if their actions consequently cause real danger to flight safety, or for more than 10 years to life imprisonment for causing damage to an aircraft or casualties,” the article states.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
RSS