Taiwan arrests five former military personnel in connection with a Chinese spy network
The main suspect, a Diabolo instructor, was on the police wanted list since March. According to the investigation, he enticed at least 10 military personnel in need of money to get them to steal classified Taiwanese government documents.
Taipei (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Five people, including four retired military personnel, were arrested this week on suspicion of belonging to a Chinese spy network.
The charges against the suspects include “contacting, enticing and recruiting" Taiwanese military personnel starting in April of last year to obtain military intelligence in violation of the National Security Act, Taipei Deputy Chief Prosecutor Tsai Wei-yi said.
On Wednesday, Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, along with the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) and New Taipei City police conducted a series of raids, questioning scores of suspects and witnesses.
Investigators found that Chinese intelligence recruited Lu Chi-hsien, a retired army officer, offering him money to use with his connections and friends still in active service to obtain classified Taiwanese government documents.
With the help of old friends and other officers, to whom Lu allegedly offered money to pay off debts, he managed to entice at least 10 people. For Deputy Prosecutor Tsai, this shows a new facet of China’s strategy to infiltrate Taiwan. Beijing considers Taiwan a “rebel” province.
To achieve his goals, Lu targeted pawnshops, money lenders and loan-shark operators near army bases to lure servicemen who needed money.
After a bail hearing, Lu and four other military personnel, including two women, were denied bail, while another suspect was released.
Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence released a statement yesterday saying that “military personnel have helped the investigation with their tip-offs, and we are currently cooperating with national security agencies” without further details.
Before his arrest, Lu Chi-hsien's activities had already attracted the attention of the authorities.
A diabolo instructor, he had served on the board of the China Diablo Federation. Using his position within the organisation, he carried off several fraud schemes, pocketing more than US$ 400,000 from Taiwanese investors and companies.
Sentenced to five years and four months in prison in March of this year, he failed to show up on the day he was supposed to start serving his prison sentence and was on the run until Wednesday, when he was arrested.
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25/04/2024 11:49
