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MIB officer using
skills for personal gain: source
By Lo Tien-pin and Tseng Wei-chen / Staff Reporter
A Military Intelligence Bureau (MIB) officer surnamed Chang (張) allegedly used
government money to attend Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and obtain a chef certificate
for use as a cover identity, but upon returning to Taiwan loaned the certificate
to a restaurant for financial gain, an anonymous source alleged on Saturday.
The source, who saw pictures posted by Chang online detailing how he obtained
the Cordon Bleu certificate, reported the matter to the Chinese-language Liberty
Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper).
Although the pictures did not say anything about Chang’s true identity, the
source said that Chang was in fact an MIB officer.
Chang should not be loaning out his certificate or using government money for
personal gain, the source said.
Military intelligence officers selected for a posting in Europe or the US have
exemplary service records, a condition that Chang’s service record met, sources
at the bureau said.
Chang submitted a request to study at Le Cordon Blue in Paris, saying it would
help establish a credible cover identity.
After preliminary evaluation, the MIB agreed to Chang’s proposal and paid for
the nine-month program on which Chang enrolled at a cost of about NT$1 million
(US$33,000).
The bureau did not anticipate that Chang would loan out the certificate for
financial gain, which, if true, would constitute a serious violation of work
ethics, as well as potentially exposing his real identity, the source said.
The bureau has launched an internal investigation into the matter and if the
allegations are confirmed, Chang could face demerits or dismissal and would
likely be required to return the NT$1 million used to obtain the certificate,
the source said.
Under the National Intelligence Services Act (國家情報工作法), intelligence officers
found guilty of engaging in criminal activities while undercover can receive
enhanced criminal sentences, while those who profiteer can be fined NT$1 million
and have all their ill--gotten gains seized. Alternatively, the intelligence
officer in question can be required to pay back the amount out of his or her own
pocket.
Ministry of National Defense spokesman David Lo (羅紹和) declined to comment,
citing restrictions imposed by the National Intelligence Services Act and the
Classified National Security Information Protection Act (國家機密保護法). He did say
that the bureau greatly valued the moral and ethical character of its
intelligence officers, and if violations were proved to have occurred, legal
action would be taken.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tsai Huang-liang (蔡煌瑯) said
although it was indisputable that intelligence officers based abroad required
special skills to back up their cover identities, the fact that such skills were
obtained at considerable public expense meant that officers were obliged to
focus mainly on intelligence gathering.
If the learning of secondary skills resulted in intelligence work being
neglected or an officer running the risk of revealing his or her true identity,
that would be a gross dereliction of duty, Tsai said.
If Chang was found to have loaned his certificate for private gain that would be
considered intentionally lying to his superiors and that is an example of
misconduct, he added.
Tsai called on the bureau to launch a full-scale investigation to determine
whether overseas postings were being used by intelligence operatives to learn,
free of charge, new skills-sets to be used after retiring from the service.
He also said that all officers stationed abroad should be subject to regular
performance reviews.
Translated by Jake Chung, Staff Writer
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