TV stars' son released on bail after flamethrower indictment

Taipei, June 29 (CNA) Sun An-tso (孫安佐), 26, the son of Taiwanese television personalities Sun Peng (孫鵬) and Di Ying (狄鶯), was released on NT$1 million (US$31,000) bail after being indicted on firearms and public intimidation charges on Monday.

The charges brought by the Shilin District Prosecutors Office against Sun, who has legally changed his name to Sun Chien-hao (孫健豪), include illegal possession of firearms under the Firearms, Ammunition, and Knives Control Act, as well as endangering public safety and intimidating the public under the Criminal Code.

The Shilin District Court later ordered his release on bail, restricted his residence, barred him from leaving Taiwan by air or sea, and prohibited him from contacting co-defendants or witnesses during the trial.

According to the indictment, Sun used a shoulder-mounted homemade flamethrowing device on seven occasions between January and April, testing it on public roads, hiking trails and parking lots.

During the tests, Sun opened the gas valve to maximum output to gauge the device's power on public roads, hiking paths and in parking lots.

The tests produced long-range, high-temperature flames, thick black smoke and leaking fuel that posed a danger to passing members of the public, prosecutors said.

Sun is also accused of possessing an unregistered shotgun, an air gun capable of causing injury and a banned imitation Glock pistol.

According to the district court, Sun admitted only to possessing a banned replica firearm without authorization and denied all other charges.

The court said there remained strong suspicion that Sun committed the offenses listed in the indictment, citing witness testimony, prosecutors' inspection reports, firearms examination records and LINE chat records among the defendants.

However, it found there was little risk of evidence tampering or witness collusion because prosecutors had completed their investigation, witnesses had testified and the firearms involved had already been seized.

Sun had been held incommunicado since May 17 after prosecutors successfully sought his detention.

After the court's announcement on Monday, Sun's father, TV actor Sun Peng, completed the bail procedures but declined to comment to reporters outside the courthouse.