US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI1076

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 001076 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/RSP/TC 
 
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, TW 
SUBJECT: PROSECUTORS CONFIDENT IN CHEN SHOOTING 
INVESTIGATION 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary.  In a conversation with AIT/K, 
Tainan Prosecutors investigating the 19 March 2004 
shooting of President Chen and Vice President Lu 
expressed confidence that their investigation had 
narrowed to a single, most likely perpetrator -- Chen 
Yi-hsiung, an unemployed 64-year-old man from Tainan, 
who had expressed dissatisfaction with President Chen 
Shui-bian.  Prosecutors insisted the timing of their 
announcement of the suspect had nothing to do with 
political concerns, including planned rallies by 
opposition parties scheduled for the March 19 
anniversary of the shooting incident.  The prosecutors 
also said they expect no attempt by the Chen 
administration to influence their decision whether or 
not to indict Chen Yi-hsiung's family members for 
withholding evidence critical to the investigation. 
End Summary 
 
2.  (SBU) The Chief Prosecutor in Tainan, charged with 
investigating the March 19, 2004, shooting of President 
Chen and Vice President Lu, told AIT/K the announcement 
that Chen was the prime suspect was based on a year- 
long investigation consisting of more than 1000 
interviews.  Progress was slow until investigators 
determined that Tang Shou-yi of Tainan had manufactured 
both the weapon and the ammunition used in the 
shooting.  Tang, in turn, revealed to investigators the 
names of 80 customers to whom he had sold weapons.  One 
of these was Chen Yi-hsiung, who, according to 
prosecutors, is a relative of Tang.  Based on this 
information and the resemblance of Chen Yi-hsiung to a 
person videotaped leaving the scene of the shooting, 
prosecutors were able to secure a warrant to wiretap 
the phones of Chen Yi-hsiung's wife, son, daughter and 
daughter-in-law.  Evidence developed from the wiretap 
included conversations among the four relatives 
discussing disposal of the gun and of incriminating 
suicide notes left by Chen, who had drowned nine days 
after the shooting.  Chen's drowning had been initially 
classed as an accident.  However, based on information 
provided by his family, the case is being 
reinvestigated. 
 
3.  (SBU) Prosecutors subsequently questioned all 
family members, each of whom eventually admitted to the 
destruction of incriminating suicide notes left by 
Chen.  Chen's wife has stated publicly that she 
recognized her husband from a video broadcast by local 
media after the shooting and confronted him about it. 
According to Mrs. Chen, Chen responded that he would 
handle the situation.  Additionally, she told 
prosecutors that her husband had admitted to the 
shooting in a conversation with her prior to his death. 
Mr. Chen's son also stated that he knew his father was 
involved in the shooting.  To date, none of the family 
members has admitted to disposing of the weapon. 
However, prosecutors say they are following several 
leads on the location of the weapon. 
 
4.  (SBU) According to prosecutors, the investigation 
is ongoing, and they presently have no plans to close 
it.  They hope to develop additional evidence and 
possibly even locate the weapon involved.  The 
prosecutors said that, while comments by local media, 
opposition political leaders, and some prosecutors not 
involved with the case have stirred public doubts, they 
are confident the focus of their investigation is 
correct and they will be able eventually to close the 
case satisfactorily.  They particularly hope that 
locating the weapon will enable them to confirm or deny 
whether or not Chen acted alone. 
 
5.  (SBU) Prosecutors told AIT/K that the timing of 
their announcement was based on the fact that it took 
months to identify the gun manufacturer and develop 
leads from his statements.  Had the Chen family come 
forward, they noted, the case could have been resolved 
much earlier.  They said that they decided to release 
the information publicly as soon as they were confident 
of their conclusions.  They did not want the 
information to leak and make it appear they were 
withholding information that the public had a right to 
know.  They vigorously denied to AIT/K that any 
political pressure had influenced the announcement. 
 
6.  (SBU) Prosecutors further told AIT/K that no 
decision had been reached on whether or not to 
prosecute Chen's family members for withholding and 
destroying evidence.  While some politicians have 
called for President Chen to pardon the family members, 
prosecutors said they don't expect such a move.  They 
confirmed that the decision whether or not to indict 
rests in their office. 
 
7.  (SBU) Comment.  The view from the Prosecutors' 
office adds an important dimension to what has become a 
highly politicized issue in Taiwan, with the public 
dividing largely along party lines as to whether or not 
they believe Chen was the attempted assassin, or even 
whether there was an assassination attempt in the first 
place.  Meanwhile, the KMT is moving ahead with its 
plans to hold a "mass rally" on March 19, the 
anniversary of the shooting incident.  Prosecutors in 
the case are long time contacts of AIT/K and are 
considered by AIT/K to be extremely reliable.  AIT/K 
has frequent, and very frank contact with their office. 
At no time during the investigation did they seem to be 
under any pressure to treat this case differently than 
other investigations.  The prosecutors continued to 
conduct their normal caseload throughout the shooting 
investigation.  End Comment. 
 
FORDEN 
 
PAAL