Print

Mail

wiki links

Prosecutors deny reports of probe into Chinese spy

"We know who these spies are and we keep an eye on them. These people are under our control."

Anonymous senior special agent with the Bureau of Investigation

Although China has recruited spies from the ranks of Taiwanese businessmen based in China, retired servicemen, academics and law-makers' or councilors' aides, law enforcement officers yesterday denied that they are investigating a case against an alleged female spy, identified only by her surname of Yang, who has been accused of stealing military secrets for the PRC.

Chinese-language newspapers reported yesterday that Yang, a former aide for Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Nan-sheng (林南生), allegedly kept tabs on classified military information for the Chinese authorities.

A senior special agent from the Ministry of Justice's Bureau of Investigation (BOI), speaking on condition of anonymity, said that members of the Taiwan High Court Prosecutors' Office, which is the top law enforcement office for espionage cases, have been working with BOI agents for some time to investigate and execute surveillance of suspected spies.

He said that they would arrest the spies as soon as investigators have collected sufficient evidence.

"Our investigation showed that the Chinese authorities have been trying to hire spies in Taiwan. Businessmen and retired servicemen are their favorites," the agent said. "We know who these spies are and we keep an eye on them. These people are under our control."

The agent denied that the BOI is currently investigating Yang's case.

Taiwan High Court Prosecutors' Office spokesman Chen Chuwei (陳追) also told reporters yesterday: "I assure you that the prosecutors' office is not working on such a case."

In June 2002, prosecutors and BOI agents worked on a similar case. The suspect was also an aide to a lawmaker who had taken advantage of his position to collect useful classified military information for China.

The National Security Bureau had also sent agents to assist in the investigation.

The Taiwan High Court Pro-secutors' Office and the BOI yesterday refused to confirm whether this case had anything to do with Yang's alleged espionage.

According to the Chinese-language newspapers, Yang worked for Lin since 2002 and resigned in March last year. After Lin became a member of the legislature's National Defense Committee following her resignation, Yang allegedly took advantage of her connections with military personnel to collect classified military information and sell it to China.

Lin said that he was quite surprised by the story.

"I did not know anything about her personal life. Even when she was working for me, I never asked her to handle or request any classified information from the military," Lin said.

The Legislative speaker, Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) said yesterday that the le-gislature was unlikely to be the source of a confidential military information leak.

"It is out of the question that the Legislative Yuan could become the source of leaked secrets, as everything released at the legislature is screened in advance, and no secrets are involved," Wang said after a closed-door meeting with his aides yesterday afternoon.

A meeting was held in the legislature yesterday following the reports of alleged espionage.

Although classified information about national defense relating to budgetary matters and arms sales is discussed in the legislature, only lawmakers are permitted to study these documents, Wang said.

"The Legislative Yuan has no connection with the reported case," he said.

Additional reporting by Fiona Lu(Staff reporter)
This story has been viewed 1986 times.