On Wednesday opposition lawmakers in Taiwan presented new evidence to prove the dubiousness of the authority's investigation into an election-eve shooting in 2004 that led to Chen Shui-bian's succession as the island's leader for a second term.

At a press conference the opposition lawmakers-led "truth investigation committee" said bullet shells found at the scene were not the correct fit for guns made by the authority-accused suspected weapons maker. 

The inner diameter of the gun barrel manufactured by the suspects was 9 millimeters and wasn"t compatible with the two bullet shells found which have outer diameters of 8.9 and 9.1 millimeters, the committee said, according to local media.

Opposition lawmakers of the island's "Legislative Yuan" urged the opening of the shooting probe and asked the legislature to order the authority to co-operate with the investigation of the "truth investigation committee."

On March 19, 2004, the pair of election candidates -- Chen Shui-bian and Lu Hsiu-lien of the Democratic Progressive Party were riding in an open Jeep when they were shot while campaigning in the southern city of Tainan. The two received slight injuries. 

The next day Chen and Lu defeated their opponents, KMT Chairman Lien Chan and PFP Chairman James Soong, by a razor-thin margin.

Though the authority concluded their investigation in 2005 saying the shooting was not directed and staged by Chen's campaigners the opposition party members and a great many others have repeatedly voiced doubts over the probe result.

(Xinhua News Agency November 23, 2006)