Taiwan samurai sword attacker charged with attempted murder
Prosecutors seek seven-year prison term for Lu Chun-yi, saying he has shown no remorse for his actions
A man who used a stolen samurai sword to attack a military police guard outside Taiwan’s presidential office in August has been charged with attempted murder, prosecutors said on Friday.
Wielding the sword and carrying the national flag of mainland China, Lu Chun-yi slashed the guard, who was trying to prevent him from entering the complex, in the neck, face and hands, before being arrested.
The 51-year-old, who has been detained since the August 18 attack, said he wanted to fly the flag in the presidential office, and was carrying hand-written notes threatening to “behead” President Tsai Ing-wen.
The notes, found in his backpack, also expressed his willingness to die and his hopes for Beijing to unify Taiwan soon, prosecutors said.
Taiwan is a self-ruling democracy, but Beijing regards the island as part of its territory to be reunited even though the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war.
Relations with the mainland have deteriorated since Tsai took power last year as she has refused to agree to Beijing’s stance that Taiwan is part of “one China”.