The United States Navy has accused one of its most experienced flight officers, Lt. Commander Edward Lin, of espionage and possibly passing military secrets to both China and Taiwan. Lin was born in Taiwan but his family moved to the United States when he was 14 years old. Lin has served on many of the Navy’s most secret and sophisticated aircraft and he has a background in signal intelligence.
According to edited information from the U.S. Navy, Lin has been assigned to the Patrol and Reconnaissance Group. This particular group, according to the Navy, is responsible for intelligence gathering missions in other countries. He has been accused of passing secret and sensitive intelligence to a representative of a foreign country on at least three different occasions. The Navy believes that the country that received Lin’s information would be using it to their strategical advantage if possible.
The Navy reminded media representatives that the investigation is an ongoing one but that Taiwan and China have been singled out as serious suspects with regard to receiving information from Lin. Lin has been in confinement awaiting the Navy’s decision to try him. The Navy has also brought additional charges of adultery and prostitution against the Lt. Commander.
According to U.S. Naval Intelligence, Lin was responsible for managing electronic signals from American signals intelligence aircraft. In addition, Lin is fluent in Mandarin. Both the Foreign and Defense ministries of China and Taiwan have made no comments regarding the accusations.
Lin has been accused of successfully relaying secret information to foreign governments on at least two occasions by leaving the country without the permission of the Navy and then lying to the Navy about where had been while he was out of the country. It has been 31 years since the Navy has had to deal with espionage. The last time it happened was with warrant office John Walker who was charged with treason after passing along highly sensitive and secret information to the Russians from 1972 until he was finally apprehended in 1985.
PHOTO SOURCE: United States Navy