The special services division of the National Security Bureau (NSB) has ordered multiple sets of counter-sniping equipment from the US to boost security for January’s presidential election, according to a government official who wished to remain anonymous.
When it comes to security during the presidential campaign, “gunshots are what we worry about most,” said the source, adding that if a presidential candidate or important figures were shot and wounded or killed, it could result in political turmoil
In a previous report to the Legislative Yuan, the bureau said that investigations in recent years found that more than 1,000 people in the nation posed a security concern, adding that more than a few were inclined toward radical action.
In the same report, the bureau said that it has compiled a list of 52 suspected terrorists who are now abroad, adding that the National Immigration Agency has blacklisted every individual on the list, barring their entry into the nation in accordance with the Immigration Act (入出國及移民法).
While domestic security threats and terrorist individuals abroad might not use guns to target presidential candidates, the bureau said that it must be ready for anything.
Anti-sniper duty worldwide consists of the equipment needed to counter snipers and to detect gunshots, the official said.
The the detection equipment could pinpoint the source of gunfire within seconds so countermeasures could be taken to prevent further shooting, the official added.
Other countermethods include setting up back sights on potential sniper perches, the official said.
The US equipment would replace the French-made PILAR gunfire detection systems now being used, the official said.
The bureau hopes to have its new equipment ready for display in the middle of November at the conclusion of training for the presidential candidate protection teams.
The bureau has also made several improvements to the fleet of trucks that are used to ferry presidential candidates as they stump.
The trucks, which had long been bullet-resistant, still required candidates to stand in the cargo space of the truck, the official said.
The upgrades include speakers that hang outside the truck, allowing the candidates to make their speeches safely from inside the trucks, the official said.
The trucks would also be put on display in November, the official said.
The Taipei City Government yesterday said contractors organizing its New Year’s Eve celebrations would be held responsible after a jumbo screen played a Beijing-ran television channel near the event’s end. An image showing China Central Television (CCTV) Channel 3 being displayed was posted on the social media platform Threads, sparking an outcry on the Internet over Beijing’s alleged political infiltration of the municipal government. A Taipei Department of Information and Tourism spokesman said event workers had made a “grave mistake” and that the Television Broadcasts Satellite (TVBS) group had the contract to operate the screens. The city would apply contractual penalties on TVBS
A new board game set against the backdrop of armed conflict around Taiwan is to be released next month, amid renewed threats from Beijing, inviting players to participate in an imaginary Chinese invasion 20 years from now. China has ramped up military activity close to Taiwan in the past few years, including massing naval forces around the nation. The game, titled 2045, tasks players with navigating the troubles of war using colorful action cards and role-playing as characters involved in operations 10 days before a fictional Chinese invasion of Taiwan. That includes members of the armed forces, Chinese sleeper agents and pro-China politicians
The lowest temperature in a low-lying area recorded early yesterday morning was in Miaoli County’s Gongguan Township (公館), at 6.8°C, due to a strong cold air mass and the effect of radiative cooling, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. In other areas, Chiayi’s East District (東區) recorded a low of 8.2°C and Yunlin County’s Huwei Township (虎尾) recorded 8.5°C, CWA data showed. The cold air mass was at its strongest from Saturday night to the early hours of yesterday. It brought temperatures down to 9°C to 11°C in areas across the nation and the outlying Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties,
STAY VIGILANT: When experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, such as dizziness or fatigue, near a water heater, open windows and doors to ventilate the area Rooftop flue water heaters should only be installed outdoors or in properly ventilated areas to prevent toxic gas from building up, the Yilan County Fire Department said, after a man in Taipei died of carbon monoxide poisoning on Monday last week. The 39-year-old man, surnamed Chen (陳), an assistant professor at Providence University in Taichung, was at his Taipei home for the holidays when the incident occurred, news reports said. He was taking a shower in the bathroom of a rooftop addition when carbon monoxide — a poisonous byproduct of combustion — leaked from a water heater installed in a poorly ventilated
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