A former China Airlines (CAL) employee has been implicated in an ongoing espionage case involving a diabolo instructor for allegedly leaking the details of presidential trip itineraries and other sensitive information, a prosecutor said yesterday.
During the investigation into Republic of China Diabolo Federation board member Lu Chi-hsien (魯紀賢) and nine other people, prosecutors discovered the involvement of a former CAL dispatcher, a source said.
The former CAL employee is believed to have leaked confidential information to Lu from February to April last year, including the itineraries of then-president Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) overseas visits, and lists of “important visitors” arriving in Taiwan.
Photo: Chen Chih-chu, Taipei Times
In addition, the former CAL employee allegedly provided Lu with documents related to weapons shipments and tarmac information, the source said, citing findings from the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office.
CAL said it is cooperating with national security and judicial authorities for the investigation.
The employee has already been dismissed, the airline said, adding that it “took the matter seriously and has reviewed its operational procedures.”
The individual has since been questioned by prosecutors.
Lu was charged last year with contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法) for his involvement in a NT$5.7 million (US$176,744) Chinese espionage operation targeting Taiwanese military personnel.
Prosecutors said Lu was recruited by China in 2020 during his pursuit for commercial opportunities there, and was tasked to procure confidential information from active-duty and retired Taiwanese military personnel.
Lu and his associates in 2022 allegedly paid tens of thousands of dollars to seven military officers for access to meeting reports and training documents, and attempted — without success — to recruit an additional 11 officers.
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