A diabolo instructor, Lu Chi-hsien (魯紀賢), and four retired military personnel were yesterday detained after a court hearing on suspicion of forming a spy network for China.

The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, along with the Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau (MJIB) and New Taipei City police, on Wednesday conducted 25 searches, including six at military units, questioned seven suspects and interviewed 11 witnesses.

The five are suspected of “contacting, enticing and recruiting” military personnel from April last year to obtain military intelligence in contravention of the National Security Act (國家安全法), Taipei Deputy Head Prosecutor Tsai Wei-yi (蔡偉逸) said.