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Security task force for presidential election candidates formed

ROC Central News Agency

2011/11/03 17:29:14

By Chen Pei-huang and S.C. Chang

Taipei, Nov. 3 (CNA) A 135-member security task force was formed Thursday that the nation's top security official said will ensure that all presidential candidates and their running mates can campaign in safety.

Tsai Der-sheng, director-general of the National Security Bureau, gave his assurance while presiding over the conclusion of training and the launch of the crack force's mission for the Jan. 14 elections.

The task force, which will be assisted by 30 specially trained police officers, will be divided into three teams that will be responsible for the security of the three pairs of candidates running on the Kuomintang (KMT), Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and People First Party (PFP) tickets.

Eight of the 135 members are women, four of whom will be assigned to protect DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, said Tsai Der-sheng.

Wu Ying-ping, deputy commander of the special security center, said an open draw by Tsai Der-sheng himself will decide which members of the task force will be assigned to which of the three pairs of candidates, for the sake of transparency and fairness.

Hsu Yen-ching, deputy security officer for President Ma Ying-jeou, will lead the team charged with Ma's security, DPP candidates Tsai and Su Jia-chyuan are the responsibility of a team led by Wu Tung-lin and Lin Wen-hao will head a team that will protect the PFP's James Soong and Lin Ruey-shiung. All three team leaders are major-generals.

Tsai Der-sheng said the task force will be responsible only for the candidates' safety and nothing else. The security agents will not be engaged in any activity not related to their official duties, he said.

Each team will be assigned 12 vehicles, including a bullet-proof parade car, a sedan which is also bullet-proof, and a van.

Conspicuous among the security-boosting equipment is a sensor system that will immediately detect where a gunshot has originated so that security agents can respond quickly.

In connection with the anti-sniper efforts, each member of the security teams will be equipped with explosives detectors, bullet-proof file cases, hand-held X-ray machines, explosion-proof blankets and metal detectors.

They will also have devices for detecting radioactive rays, chemical agents and biological poisons, along with T3-75 masks that protect users from radioactive fallout and biological and chemical attack.

During the commencement ceremony, the task force members demonstrated their abilities in hand-to-hand combat and shooting, as well as responses to various scenarios that could happen during campaign rallies or while moving from one campaign site to another.

Chiu Mei-yun, who has been part of similar task forces in two previous presidential elections, has been assigned to the team that will protect Tsai Ing-wen.

In spite of her previous experience, Chiu said she still feels great pressure for her coming duty.

The task force will be deployed at the residences, offices and campaign sites of the six candidates.

The task force will be officially responsible for the safety of the candidates until midnight Jan. 14, election day.