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TAIPEI: Taiwan's air force on Wednesday denied allegations that it assisted former president Chen Shui-bian by smuggling cash, as a money laundering probe into the detained Chen's activities continued.
"The air force abided by the rules strictly to operate the presidential jet and didn't do anything outside the law," it said in a statement.
The comment came after fresh accusations that Chen used the presidential jet to smuggle US$5.17 million in cash to the Pacific Ocean island of Palau during a state visit there in 2006.
Kuomintang lawmaker Chiu Yi, one of the first politicians to allege Chen's role in taking bribes, money laundering and embezzlement, made the claim on Taiwanese television that the money was stashed aboard the jet when it departed for the state trip.
Chen's office has flatly denied the allegations and has threatened to sue political commentator Sisy Chen for making similar claims last week in a column for the Apple Daily newspaper, for what it regards as a smear against the ex-leader.
Palau is one of the 23 countries that formally recognise Taipei over Beijing.
Chen, his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and brother-in-law have all been named as defendants in a money laundering case.
The ex-leader, detained since last month, is also being investigated for allegedly embezzling government funds as well as taking bribes and document forgery.
Chen, the first former Taiwanese leader ever to be arrested, could be held for four months before prosecutors have to press charges on him.
His family has agreed to send back US$21 million found in their Swiss bank accounts in cooperation with the probe, prosecutors said.
Chen, whose pro-independence stance while in office had angered Beijing, has repeatedly accused the island's current China-friendly government of being behind the corruption allegations against him.
Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war, but Beijing still claims the island as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.
- AFP/yb
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