7 indicted in espionage case involving retired Air Force captain
ROC Central News Agency
04/21/2023 10:18 PM
Taipei, April 21 (CNA) A retired Air Force captain and six active military officers in Taiwan's Air Force and Navy were indicted in Kaohsiung on Thursday for allegedly spying for communist China.
All seven individuals were charged with violating the Classified National Security Information Protection Act by the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office in Kaohsiung.
Prosecutors and investigators launched the case in January this year, detaining a retired Air Force captain and three active military officers on Jan. 4, while three other active lieutenant commanders were released on bail ranging from NT$100,000 (US$3,268) to NT$200,000 bail.
The detainees included the retired captain surnamed Liu (劉), who is at the center of the investigation, an active commander surnamed Sun (孫), and two lieutenant commanders identified by their surnames Liu and Kung (龔), respectively.
Following their indictment on Thursday, the Taiwan High Court branch in Kaohsiung ordered the four individuals to be held incommunicado starting on Friday.
The three others involved with the case remain released on bail so far.
According to the investigation's findings, Liu began doing business in China after retiring from the Air Force in 2013.
He was then recruited by the Chinese side to serve as a spy and, using his personnel connections in the military, help recruit active military officers in the Navy and Air Force to join in the spying activities, according to prosecutors.
They allege Liu recruited at least six officers into his spy ring and received "rewards" of between NT$200,000 and NT$700,000 from the Chinese side through a shell company he set up for each individual he brought into the fold.
In addition, Liu was given bonuses of between NT$30,000 and NT$100,000 if his benefactors were supplied with information on Taiwan's military.
(By Hung Hsueh-kuang and James Lo)
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