overseas media on Falun Gong

The exact location where Falun Gong cult members who have been hacking into TV and radio signals has been revealed.

The airwaves hijacking which has interfered with broadcast schedules, including distant learning programmes, has been going on for over a fortnight.

A senior official with the State radio monitoring centre disclosed Thursday that the exact geographical position of the hacking signal, was in Taipei, in Taiwan Province.

The source is located near a position of east longitude 121 degrees 30'33" and north latitude 24 degrees 51'04".

It was pinpointed as a result of repeated testing and verification by dozens of experts, said the official. Three of Sino Satellite (SINOSAT)'s transmitters, the 2A, 3A, and 6A have, since September 8, been disturbed by the illegal signals sent out by the cult.

These signals cut into transmissions which use the SINOSAT system, which covers the whole of China.

The television hijacking has affected the leading national television stations in China, the transmission of signals from China Education TV Station and also those of some provincial TV stations.

The cult's actions seriously interfered with the normal operations of television and radio transmissions, and are a criminal violation of the accepted regulations in respect of civil communications, said the official.

On Wednesday, Taiwan reportedly pledged to crack down on illegal satellite broadcasts in response to a call by Beijing for swift action to stop Falun Gong members using the island as a base from which to disrupt mainland television programmes.