Up to 10 armed forces officers, including several senior air force officers, were implicated in a recent judicial probe into a spying ring suspected of passing on classified military material on weapons and radar systems to Chinese intelligence agencies.
Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday carried out its third phase of investigations into claims of a Chinese spy ring operating in the military, when they summoned three suspects for questioning: former major general Chao Tai-chi (趙泰祺) and two retired air force pilots, Ma Po-le (馬伯樂) and Sung Chia-lu (宋嘉祿).
Following overnight questioning sessions, prosecutors yesterday charged the two retired air force officers with violations of the National Security Act (國家安全法). Sung was released on bail of NT$100,000 (US$3,280), and Ma on bail of NT$30,000.
Chao, a former senior commanding officer at the Heng Shan Military Command Center, was released without bail. Two more air force officers, surnamed Tsai (蔡) and Huang (黃), were also questioned and released later on Friday.
The officers were suspected of working for a Chinese intelligence agent named Zheng Xiaojiang (鎮小江) from Xiamen in China’s Fujian Province.
Investigators from the Ministry of Justice’s Investigation Bureau (MJIB) said Zheng visited Taiwan numerous times starting in 2008, hoping to befriend a number of air force officers, by allegedly offering pleasure trips to Vietnam, Thailand and China.
Investigators said one key figure Zheng recruited was retired air force colonel Chou Chih-li (周自立), and with Chou as a main contact, Zheng allegedly expanded his spying network to at least 10 active and retired officers in the air force and army.
The MJIB was tipped off, and had Zheng and the other suspects placed under surveillance for three years before closing in to arrest Zheng and Chou last month.
Investigators said the spy ring allegedly passed on to China classified information on the Mirage 2000 aircraft, the ultra-high-frequency radar installation on Leshan (樂山) in Hsinchu County, and on Taiwan’s more sophisticated military technology and newly procured weaponry.
In response to the judicial probe, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Major General David Lo (羅紹和) said the case was coordinated with national security and counterintelligence units, and due to confidentiality he could not comment on the ongoing investigation.
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