Leaders of the military intelligence community yesterday converged to defend themselves against accusations by opposition parties that the military has been illegally eavesdropping on their leading figures.
The chiefs of the military's three major intelligence agencies -- the Political Warfare Bureau, Military Intelligence Bureau and the military police -- strongly denied the allegations.
Military Intelligence Bureau Director Lieutenant General Dai Po-te (戴伯特) and military police Commander Lieutenant General Yu Lien-fa (余連發) promised to resign if any of their staff were discovered to be involved in eavesdropping on political figures.
Political Warfare Bureau chief General Chen Po-chih (
It was the first time that the leaders of the military's major intelligence systems gathered together to speak on the same issue.
The occasion took place yesterday at the Ministry of National Defense, where a special press conference was called to address the issue.
Several leading figures of the opposition blue camp including People First Party (PFP) Chairman James Soong (
The Military Intelligence Bureau was identified as one of the agencies involved in the alleged illegal phone taps.
A top-security department in the bureau called "electronic technology office" was singled out as the executor of the alleged illegal eavesdropping.
Dai said that the office was responsible for collecting information on China, not on Taiwan.
"We strictly abide by the principle of political neutrality. We collect information only on the Chinese, the enemy. If any of our staff were discovered to be engaged in illegal eavesdropping in the country, he would be court-martialed. I would also step down to take responsibility," Dai said.
Dai denied media reports that the electronic technology office has received from the now-deactivated Taiwan Garrison Command a set of equipment that the command had used to eavesdrop on local political figures during the martial law period.
"The Taiwan Garrison Command was decommissioned in 1992. Our electronic technology office was established in 1994 for the purpose of eavesdropping on China. I have no idea about the kind of equipment that the Taiwan Garrison Command used to spy on local people," Dai said.
Chen admitted, however, to the existence of the eavesdropping equipment that used to belong to the Taiwan Garrison Command.
"I know the equipment but have no idea about where it is now. I have yet to find it out," Chen said. "If anyone in the military dares to start using the equipment, I will have him severely punished."
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