The Taiwan High Court yesterday approved prosecutors' request that a Chinese woman be detained for alleged spying while the search continues for other suspects in the case.
The woman was identified as 40-year-old Lin Wei (林偉), from Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province. She allegedly worked with former Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) employee Huang Cheng-an (黃正安) to gather information on Taiwan's bomb and rocket technology and sell it to China.
"We filed the detention request around 8pm on Thursday and judges immediately approved our request because Lin possesses dual nationality and there is a greater chance she might escape or exchange information with other suspects in the case," said Chen Chuwei (陳追), a spokesman for the Taiwan High Court Prosecutors' Office.
Chen said that prosecutors and special agents from the Ministry of Justice's Bureau of Investigation (BOI) are trying to locate other suspects and arrest them. He said Prosecutor Chou Chi-jung (周志榮) is still interrogating Lin.
According to a BOI press release on Thursday night, bureau agents arrested Lin at her Chungho residence early Thursday morning on charges of espionage.
Lin married a Taiwanese man on May 7, 1991, moved to Taiwan on Aug. 18, 1995 and gained Republic of China citizenship on Sept. 8, 1997 although she retained her PRC citizenship.
According to the BOI, beginning in 2001, Lin got Huang to steal technology and classified information for her on Taiwan's latest weapons, mostly bombs and rockets.
Huang was arrested on espionage charges on Nov. 29 last year. The retired air force major had worked at the CSIST since 1979. Prior to his detention, he was working at the CSIST's Second Research Lab and was in charge of environmental-protection projects.
The Second Research Lab works on bomb and rocket technology.
According to Chen, prosecutors could indict both Lin and Huang for violating Article 109 and Article 111 of the Criminal Code and Article 2-1 of the National Security Law (國安法).
If convicted on all counts, they both could receive up to 27 years in prison.
Article 2-1 of the National Security Law says, "A person who leaks classified information that may endanger national security shall be imprisoned not more than five years or a fine of NT$1 million."
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