Former Taiwanese Spy Denies Affair with State Department Officer

Isabelle Cheng, a former Taiwanese spy has denied allegations that she used a personal relationship with a veteran U.S. State Department officer in order to gather intelligence for Taiwan.^[1]

Cheng, a former agent of Taiwan's National Security Bureau in Washington D.C., who became visibly upset, discussed the alleged links which led to the arrest of Donald Keyser in September 2004.^[2]

Keyser, a State Department veteran of 30 years service, was sentenced to one year in jail January on charges of concealing his personal relationship with Cheng and of unauthorized possession of classified documents.^[3]

Cheng has been quoted asserting that misleading news reports about the spy incident unfairly caused damage to Keyser and herself.^[4] ''He (Keyser) was such a patriotic person, and now he's even stripped of his pension,” she also fervently denied that the Taiwanese spy agency ever used sex to help gather intelligence.^[5]

Despite denying that there had been a sexual relationship, Keyser was said to have frequently expressed his infatuation with Cheng, and federal agents said they witnessed the pair in compromising positions.^[6] It has also been asserted that Taiwanese intelligence considered its contact with Keyser valuable, and they believed he could provide insight into the sensitive relations between China, Taiwan and the United States.^[7]

However the National Security Bureau (NSB) clarified yesterday that it did not engage in intelligence work in the United States and that Cheng has resigned for family reasons.^[8]

The bureau clarified that the U.S. had not, in fact, convicted Keyser of espionage charges in the Cheng case – he was sentenced for illegally removing classified documents without reporting to authorities in accordance with due process.^[9] The NSB said the verdict showed that they did not get involved in intelligence operations in the U.S.^[10]

As for Cheng, they said she had voluntarily tendered resignation for family reasons and the bureau respects her decision. The bureau, however, stressed that it still provides necessarily assistance to Cheng whenever is needed, based on the spirit that the NSB remains a big family for all incumbent and former colleagues.^[11]

Federal criminal defense attorney Douglas McNabb has previously spoken about spies, at length, here.

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^[1] AP Staff, Ex-Taiwan spy denies alleged links with a former senior US official, Associated Press Newswire, October 14, 2007, available Associated Press Newswire, July 19, 2007, LEXIS, News Library, Wire News Services File.
^[2] Id.
^[3] Id.
^[4] Id.
^[5] Id.
^[6] Id.
^[7] Id.
^[8] The China Post news staff, NSB clarifies 'not involved' in intelligence work in United States, China Post, October 16, 2007, available at http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/2007/10/16/126885/NSB-clarifies.htm (last visited October 16, 2007).
^[9] Id.
^[10] Id.
^[11] Id.