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Updated Thursday, February 10, 2011 0:04 am TWN, The China Post news staff

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General had no access to classified info: army

The military yesterday claimed the army general arrested for allegedly spying for China did not have access to confidential information, but declined to say whether he had been involved in a crucial U.S.-Taiwan collaboration project.

The detained general, Lo Hsien-che, was in a management position that had “partial” access to military information, said Wang Ming-wo, acting director of the defense ministry's Political Warfare Bureau.

He said the materials that Lo — head of the Army's department of communication and electronic information — handled was “non-confidential and non-sensitive.”

Wang also dismissed reports that Lo had been stationed in the United States, disclosing that the general used to work in Thailand between 2002 and 2005, during which he was allegedly recruited by China.

Wang would not clarify claims that Lo played a role in the “Po Sheng” project jointly run by the United States and Taiwan, but said the military is stepping up efforts to control any possible damage.

Wang described Lo's alleged act as treason, saying he had traded his soul for money and disgraced the military.

Part of the “Po Sheng” project reportedly involved the using of advanced U.S. military technology to build up an encrypted communications system for the island's armed forces.

The Central News Agency quoted a senior official at Taiwan's representative office in Washington, D.C. as saying that as Lo was stationed in Thailand, he should not have had access to the “Po Sheng” project.

The intelligence leaked by Lo is believed to have nothing to do with the U.S. military, the official reportedly said.

The highest watchdog body, the Control Yuan, has launched a probe into the Lo case, while the ruling Kuomintang and main opposition Democratic Progressive Party are blaming each other for the alleged leak.

Three Control Yuan members said they will investigate how the military failed to detect the alleged security breach.

One of the members, Chao Chang-ping, said the case highlighted the slackening national defense.

Although cross-strait tensions have eased, the military must still constantly remind itself of the need to enhance its defense capability, Chao said.

Another watchdog member Ge Yung-kuang said Lo is believed to have been recruited in the early 2000s when the DPP administration was campaigning to “desinicize” the nation, sending many in the military questioning their role.

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