Posted on 08/29/2004 9:23:42 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Chen shooting 'not a bid at assassination'
TAIPEI - A leading US forensic expert called to investigate the election-eve shooting of Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian said he could not solve the mystery surrounding the case.
Mr Henry Lee said in New York that a conclusive report was impossible because of the many 'variables and unknown factors' in the case. He did not elaborate.
In comments aired by Taiwanese television stations yesterday, he said the March 19 attack could not have been an assassination attempt because this would normally involve 'powerful weapons'.
Police found two small bullets - one lead and the other copper - at the scene of the shooting and concluded that they, and the gun that fired them, were home-made.
No suspect has been identified, although last month police appealed for help to find a man in his 30s or 40s standing in an area from where two shots are believed to have been fired.
Mr Lee gave his 133-page report to a Taiwan diplomat stationed in New York who sent it on to Taipei.
Ruling Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Lee Chun-yi said it was presumptive for Mr Lee to rule out a political assassination.
Opposition Kuomintang lawmaker Huang Teh-fu said that since the forensic expert did not negate the conspiracy theories, he believed the shooting was likely a 'political move' to help Mr Chen at the polls.
The Taiwanese government invited Mr Lee to Taiwan in April to help debunk popular conspiracy theories that the President arranged the gunshot that grazed his stomach hours before the March 20 vote in order to win sympathy votes.
President Chen and Vice-President Annette Lu were riding in an open Jeep when they were shot during a campaign parade in the southern city of Tainan. Ms Lu was hit in her knee.
In April, Mr Lee ruled out one of the more outlandish theories about the shooting when he said, after examining a gash it caused to Mr Chen's abdomen and other evidence, that it could not have been self-inflicted.
The forensic expert said at a press conference on Saturday that a crackdown on underground arsenals that make illegal guns would help in tracing the weapons used in the mysterious shooting incident.
Last month, Mr Chen said he wanted to set up an independent committee to investigate the shooting, but the plan became embroiled in a parliamentary row over process.
The opposition claims that the shooting, as well as election irregularities, cost them a victory in the March 20 election. It has demanded a recount and staged massive protests. It also has two lawsuits before the courts challenging Mr Chen's victory. -- AFP, Reuters
Ping!
In comments aired by Taiwanese television stations yesterday, he said the March 19 attack could not have been an assassination attempt because this would normally involve 'powerful weapons'.
What an idiotic statement. So if someone were to try to knife a head of state to death it would not be an assassination attempt because a knife is not a powerful weapon? Once again, what an idiotic statement.
Powerful weapons, sheesh.
assassinated, even.
he said the March 19 attack could not have been an assassination attempt because this would normally involve 'powerful weapons'.
I think his statement is right. He is comparing to
the weapon used. Especially in Asia, someone with an
intent to kill will use a powerful weapon. It was a
staged show.
It doesn't really matter what the evidence is -- the psychos will just jump to whatever theory hasn't been explicitly ruled out.
Dr. Lee has done a very typical Asian move in his statements. If you know you are going to cause your 'Lo Ban' (Boss) to lose face by your statements - You say nothing.
There have been several "reenactments" using actors and video enhancements plotting the supposed trajectory of the bullet(s), angle of fire, movements of shooter, path(s) shooter used to approach vehicle, path(s) shooter may have used to flee scene, etc.
They are going to find exactly what they are supposed to find - NOTHING.
Although there is an "All Points Bulletin" out for a Chinese-type male, 5'6" - 6'1", weighing 135-200 lbs, dressed in casual sport clothes. Results have so far been nil.
(Just disregard the pictures of A-Bien entering the hospital raising his hands above his head...totally unrelated.)
(and the hospital operating room pictures showing A-Bien laying on the table with a razor straight incision-OOPS!-gunshot wound on his lower belly.)
Indeed. The sore losermans are in taiwan as well as here and make as little sense.
Yes. See number 6 for one of Free Republic's resident pro-China psychos.
tallhappy do your PRC handlers know you are back on the crack pipe?
Just like in the U.S. you need to look at multiples sources. Many Taiwan papers are rabidly pro-KMT and you can expect substatial bias.
First, he is a leading US forensic expert, but now he is an idiot, because his opinion is not desirable. LOL.
At least, they haven't called him a chicom lover yet.
By the way, many Taiwanese-Americans (even ones who were born here) retain strong allegience to the political parties in Taiwan. You can be almost certain that Henry Lee is WSR (i.e. his family came with Jiang Zhe Shi after WW II) and will therefore in all likelihood be a supporter of the KMT.
Dr. Lee is at the top of his field. he also is a realist, he has family in Taiwan. Its a very ...'interesting'... situation...lol.
I don't see a problem. He said that it wasn't a political assassination but he also said that it wasn't self-inflicted. Are there other explanations? Certainly. How about a nutcase or perhaps a 2nd rate stupid thug who placed a substantial bet on Lien-Soong winning?
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