Halifax: Police said they have
charged a Canadian navy intelligence officer with espionage.
Jeffrey Paul Delisle, 40, appeared in Halifax provincial
court yesterday on two charges related to communicating
information to a foreign entity. Police didn't reveal any
details about what information is alleged to have been
disclosed or to whom it was disclosed.
The Defense Department said Delisle is a sub-lieutenant
in the navy and an intelligence officer. He reportedly worked
at a naval communications and intelligence center in Halifax
that was a multinational base with access to secret data from
NATO countries.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Bob Paulson
said the investigation demonstrates that Canada is not immune
to threats posed by foreign entities wishing to undermine
Canadian sovereignty.
"Notwithstanding the seriousness of these charges, the
RCMP is not aware of any threat to public safety at this time
from this situation," Paulson said.
All the offenses are alleged to have happened in or near
Halifax, Ottawa and Kingston, Ontario.
The Security of Information Act was passed by Canada's
Parliament after the terrorist attacks on the United States on
Sept. 11, 2001, and replaced the Official Secrets Act. The
RCMP say the charges against Delisle mark the first time that
anyone has been charged under that section of the act.
At his court appearance yesterday, Delisle was ordered to
remain in custody and is due back in court today.
Paulson said the investigation involved the Canadian
Security Intelligence Service, the Canadian Forces and the
Canada Border Services Agency.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 10:27