"The bureau wanted me to serve as an undercover agent for them in Taiwan, to investigate Falun Gong practices. They warned that they knew everything about me and they would have me exiled from Taiwan if I told the public anything about what the bureau did to me."
A tired and hesitant Lin Hsiao-kai finally showed his face to the public yesterday, revealing a spiritually battered man who has yet to recover from a nightmare trip to Shanghai.
"When I was finally released by the National Security Bureau in Shanghai and returned home, the first words I spoke to my wife the minute I saw her were, `Could I trust you? Would you betray me?'" Lin said.
Lin said that his paranoia was a result of the confusion stemming from his dealing with the Chinese security agents.
The 29-year-old Lin traveled to Shanghai on Sept. 30 to bring latest Falun Gong information to a Chinese Falun Gong practitioner.
Lin was later introduced to another Falun Gong practitioner, who turned out to be an undercover Chinese security agent.
Lin was arrested at his hotel by the security officials on Oct 7. He was released three days ago and returned home the same day.
He said that throughout his detention he had treated the Chinese officials nicely and that sometimes they were nice but they really wanted to brainwash him or get information on Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners.
He said he became confused and didn't know whether to believe what the officials said. He also said that he was so scared that he suspected people around him might be other undercover agents sent to monitor him.
"The bureau wanted me to serve as an undercover agent for them in Taiwan, to investigate Falun Gong practices. They warned that they knew everything about me and they would have me exiled from Taiwan if I told the public anything about what the bureau did to me," Lin said.
He said the bureau officials proved during the interrogations that they did know almost everything about him and that really frightened him.
He said he was forced to sign some documents admitting his "crimes" and renouncing Falun Gong.
But Lin said that he had not been physically abused
"The bureau officials changed their attitude after my wife held a press conference to publicize my detention," Lin said. "In the end it was the pressure from the media that made the bureau let me go, although the official kept saying it was the tolerance and the policy of the Communist Party."
Lin's wife, Chen Shu-ya,held a press conference on Oct. 21 to draw attention to his disappearance. She told reporters that the family had not heard from Lin since Oct. 7.
Lin said he was very grateful for the media's interest in his case.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chiu Chuang-chin said yesterday that Lin's experience was proof that China's intelligence services had penetrated Taiwan.
Chiu said he would ask national security authorities to investigate the situation.