Taiwan opposition prepares legal bid as new probe launched into shooting
Taiwan's opposition was expected to mount a legal challenge
to President Chen Shui-bian's election victory as protests against the
result abated amid a new investigation into a shooting incident at the
centre of the controversy.
Only 350 protesters remained outside the presidential offices Monday
after a weekend that saw half-a-million people take to the streets to denounce
the March 20 presidential poll and call for a recount.
Lawyers for the opposition Kuomintang Monday said they were finalizing
plans to file suits demanding a recount and a thorough investigation into
the election eve shooting of Chen and his vice president, Annette Lu.
The move followed an offer by Chen to order an immediate recount of
the ballot, which he won by fewer than 30,000 votes, if a legal claim was
lodged. He also pledged to meet opposition leaders Monday to quell the crisis.
But while team of US experts arrived Monday to investigate the
shooting, top aides of Chen and KMT leader Lien Chan have yet to schedule a
leaders' meeting.
"We propose that President Chen orders the formation of an independent
team to probe the shooting. If his reply is negative, there is no point for
the leaders to meet," said KMT Secretary General Lin Feng-cheng.
Both Chen and Lu were lightly wounded in the March 19 assassination
attempt that Lien claims was staged and cost him the victory -- a charge
Chen denies.
The team of US crime scene investigators, including experts in
ballistics, forensics and identification, flew to Tainan, in southern
Taiwan, Monday to examine the site of the shooting and visit the hospital
where they were taken.
"We are here to evaluate all of the physical evidence that is made
available to us. We hope to have the opportunity to examine all those things
we would customarily and routinely do if the shooting occurred in our own
jurisdiction," forensic expert Cyril H. Wecht told reporters.
The US team, led by respected US forensic expert Henry C. Lee, was set
up over the weekend at the invitation of Taiwan's chief prosecutor Lu Ren-
fa. Lee is due to arrive in Taiwan in mid-April.
Taiwanese authorities have high hopes that Lee, a graduate of Taiwan's
police college, will help clarify the mystery surrounding the shooting.
Police have said they had not ruled out any motives behind the
shooting. They have yet to name a suspect, but say the attacker probably
used a handgun and homemade bullets.
Firearms are illegal in Taiwan but are widely available on the black
market. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the shooting or been arrested.
Reward money totalling 33 million Taiwan dollars (one million US)
has been offered, including 10 million dollars each from Chen's Democratic
Peoples Party and the KMT.
As apparent progress was being made in easing the political stalemate,
Taiwan share prices closed 5.57 percent higher Monday after a week of heavy
losses.
"The market was apparently correcting its overshooting triggered by
political disturbances last week, even though disputes over the presidential
election have yet to be fully resolved," Yuanta Core Pacific Securities
assistant vice president Oliver Fang said.
The developments in Taiwan have been closely scrutinized by Beijing,
which still claims the island as part of its territory despite being
governed separately since 1949.
Beijing has warned it would invade the island if it declares
independence or descends into chaos.
TAIPEI (AFP)
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