The Kaohsiung Branch of the High Court yesterday found retired air force colonel Liu Sheng-shu (劉聖恕) guilty of operating an espionage network for China, handing him a 20-year prison term.

The verdict is subject to appeal.

Five of Liu’s six codefendants — a group consisting mainly of active-duty military officers ranked major to colonel — also received guilty verdicts with sentences ranging from six months to 20 years and six months.