TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Two bombs exploded in McDonald's restaurants, killing aa police officer and wounding three restaurant employees in a series of attacks that prompted the company to close all 57 of its Taiwan outlets Wednesday.
Four other bombs were removed from restaurants before they could explode.
David Sun, chairman of the board of Taiwan McDonald's Corp., said the restaurants would remain closed indefinitely and offered a $480,000 reward for assistance in capturing those who had planted the bombs.
'We are working in conjunction with the police to screen all of our stores,' Sun said. 'After we are totally satisfied with the safety precautions, we will reopen.'
Sun refused to make an estimate of losses in revenue to the fast food chain that shut down its 57 Taiwan restaurants at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The bombings began Tuesday after police received a extortion note demanding that the company pay a protection fee of $240,000, Sun said.
'I feel it is the responsibility of our company not to concede to this kind of request,' Sun said.
The first bomb exploded late Tuesday afternoon as it was being removed from a McDonald's restaurant in Taipei, killing one bomb squad officer.
Three MacDonald's employees were wounded in a second explosion Wednesday, a half-hour after police had searched the restaurant for explosives.
The bombings prompted an emergency meeting Wednesday between Taiwan Premier Hao Pei-Tsun and National Police Adminstration Director-General Chuang Heng-Tai.
'The police do have some clues, but I am afraid I am not authorized to comment,' government spokesman Jason Hu said after the meeting broke up.
Hu refused to disclose whether the bombings were part of an extortion scheme or terrorist actions designed to create public panic. 'I hope this will not create terror within society,' he said.
Police urged citizens to be on the alert for bombs that might be placed in public places.
McDonald's spokeswoman Terry Capatosto said in company headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill., that the attacks constituted 'an isolated extortion attempt. Our McDonalds Taiwan company has closed its restaurants as a precautionary matter. We are working closely with the local police there.'
