Taiwan investors detained as spies

Taiwan investors detained as spies

TAIPEI (AP): China's state intelligence service has detained six Taiwanese businessmen suspected of spying, and is holding another 12 under house arrest, reports said yesterday.

The businessmen are being held in five different Chinese cities and are all suspected of obtaining military secrets via the Internet, Taiwan's China Times Express reported.

Police did not notify the men's businesses or family members within 24 hours of their detention despite Chinese laws requiring them to do so, the paper said. It was not known how long the men have been detained.

Taiwan's semiofficial Straits Exchange Foundation said family members of those being held had asked it for help but it could not confirm how many men were in detention or what charges had been brought against them.