Taiwan’s intelligence agency on Tuesday flatly rejected allegations that it had launched “electromagnetic wave” attacks against the running mate of an opposition presidential candidate.
“The National Security Bureau has not owned the alleged technologies, nor have we used equipment to harass the alleged targeted person,” the bureau said in a statement.
Lin Ruey-shiung, the running mate of independent candidate James Soong, surprised the public last week when he claimed to have been subjected to “electromagnetic wave” attacks by the bureau on September 20 outside his home and over the following three days.
“If I hadn’t quickly moved out (of my home), I would have lost my mind,” he told reporters.
Lin, an epidemiologist, was chosen by Soong as his running mate in a move seen as aimed at securing support from Taiwan’s rich and influential medical circles.
Soong is considered unlikely to win in the January 14 polls, but observers said he could threaten the incumbent Ma Ying-jeou, who is locked in a tight race against Tsai Ing-wen of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party.
Soong, a former heavyweight in Ma’s Kuomintang (KMT) party, still commands considerable loyalty among many KMT members and his candidacy could potentially cost Ma enough votes to lose the election, they said.