Evidence casts fresh doubts on Taiwan's election shooting probe

Taiwan opposition lawmakers on Wednesday presented fresh evidence to prove the dubiousness of authority's investigation over an election-eve shooting in 2004 that led to Chen Shui-bian's succession as the island's leader of a second term.

In a press conference, the opposition lawmakers-led "truth investigation committee" said bullet shells found on the shooting scene could hardly fit in the gun barrels made by the authority-accused suspected weaponry producer.

The inner diameter of the gun barrel manufactured by the suspects is 9 minimeters, which is not compatible with the two bullet shells, with the outer diameters being 8.9 minimeters and 9.1 minimeters, the committee said, according to local media.

Opposition lawmakers of the island's "Legislative Yuan" urged a reopening of the shooting probe and asked the legislature to order the authority to co-operate with the investigation of the "truth investigation committee."

On March 19, 2004, the pair of election candidates -- Chen Shui-bian and Lu Hsiu-lien of the Democratic Progressive Party were riding in an open Jeep when they were shot while campaigning in the southern city of Tainan, which resulted in bizarre slight injuries to the pair.

The next day, Chen and Lu defeated their opponents, KMT Chairman Lien Chan and PFP Chairman James Soong, by a razor-thin margin.

Though the authority concluded their investigation in 2005 saying the shooting was not directed and staged by Chen's campaigners, opposition party members and a great number of people have repeatedly voiced doubts over the probe result.

Source: Xinhua