Taiwan strengthens barriers after attack on presidential office

Taiwanese authorities on Sunday strengthened barriers around the presidential office after a truck was rammed into the tightly guarded premises in an attempted suicide attack.

More military police with automatic rifles were deployed and a line of huge granite blocks was lifted into place to reinforce existing barriers outside the building, televised images showed.

The incident, described by police as an attempted suicide attack, was the worst of its type on the building. It happened around 5am on Saturday when Chang Teh-cheng drove a 35-ton truck through several sets of barricades, police said.

At high speed, the vehicle ascended a set of steps before being stopped by a bullet-proof screen and becoming stuck in the gate leading to the office’s main building, they said.

Chang, 41, was severely injured and taken to hospital. No one else was hurt but the attack prompted an investigation and an immediate tightening of security.

Local media speculated that damage and casualties could have been serious had Chang been driving an oil tanker.