The National Security Bureau (NSB) said that it will push for a ban on Taiwanese nationals from joining the Islamic State (IS). The issue was brought up in the legislature’s Foreign and National Defense Committee on Monday, following the recent IS terrorist attack which killed more than 30 people in Brussels.
NSB Director General Yang Kuo-chiang said that during the last legislative session, lawmakers had attempted to pass a law that would prevent Taiwan nationals from joining IS. However, the legislative session came to a close before the law was passed. Yang said the law was very important and that it would be pushed forward again this session.
The NSB says it has a list of 35 suspected foreign terrorists, some of whom attempted to transit in or enter Taiwan. The immigration agency says that those who attempted to enter the country were turned away, and the NSB is aware of who they were attempting to contact in Taiwan.
Meanwhile, the Investigation Bureau says that it does not have any intelligence suggesting that any Taiwanese nationals have joined terrorist organizations. The Office of Homeland Security said that there is also no intelligence indicating that an attack similar to the Brussels attacks will take place in Taiwan.