The identity of the hijacker and his motives were unknown.

Police said the man was armed, but it was not immediately clear if he had a gun, a toy gun or a knife.

The nationalities of the passengers were also not immediately known.

The hijacker demanded to speak to Taiwan's justice minister Chen Ding-nan and environment minister Hau Lun-pin. Chen said he would be willing to do so if police allowed him.

Police, wearing bulletproof vests and helmets and carrying shields, cordoned off the area in central Taipei where the tourist bus was parked. The incident attracted many bystanders.

In 1997, a heavily armed hostage-taker broke into the Taipei home of South African military attache colonel "Mac" Alexander and took him, his wife and three children hostage. The drama ended 24 hours after the man surrendered. No one was killed.

The hostage-taker, Chen Chin-hsing, was executed in October 1999 for the kidnap-murder of a TV celebrity's daughter and a string of gun battles, killings and rapes.

(China Daily 06/23/2001)