The Taichung branch of the High Court yesterday sentenced a former air force serviceman surnamed Lin (林) to two years in prison for attempting to leak classified information by photographing military deployment maps and other documents to sell for profit, overturning a previous acquittal.
The ruling can be appealed.
Lin became acquainted with a person known as “Manager Ho” (何經理) in September 2021 through a messaging app while serving as a driver for the Air Force Air Defense and Missile Command after being introduced by a fellow servicemember, and sought assistance in resolving an NT$140,000 debt, prosecutors said.
Photo: EPA
Ho requested that Lin provide military information, including whether he could access Patriot missile technical manuals, equipment parameters or deployment data, they said.
Later that month, Lin used the opportunity of being summoned to brigade headquarters for a disciplinary review to photograph documents, including a deployment assessment map of the Chinese Communist Party Air Force, Naval Aviation and Rocket Force within 600 nautical miles (1,111km) and meeting minutes and an attendance roster from a meeting at the command, they said.
Lin sent the images to Ho, who transferred NT$4,000 to Lin’s account, they said.
The case came to light after Lin lost his phone, which was found by a member of the public and turned over to the Miaoli Police Department.
While attempting to identify the owner, officers accessed the device and discovered the images and payment records, prompting notification of the Military Police Command’s Taichung branch.
Following an investigation, Lin was notified in December 2022 that the case had been transferred to the High Prosecutors’ Office, Taichung branch, which later indicted him for attempted collection of military secrets under the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces (陸海空軍刑法).
In December 2023, the Taichung branch of the High Court acquitted Lin, citing a military assessment that the materials were not classified.
The prosecution appealed, and the Supreme Court found the ruling insufficiently substantiated and remanded the case.
Upon retrial, the Taichung branch yesterday overturned the acquittal and convicted Lin of attempted disclosure of military secrets, sentencing him to two years in prison.
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