Military Intelligence Member Charged Over Secrets Leak Allegedly Exposed Covert Operator’s Identity: Court Docs

A Canadian flag is seen on a Canadian Armed Forces member’s uniform in a file photo. The Canadian Press/Lars Hagberg

The Canadian military intelligence operator charged with leaking information to a foreign entity is accused of exposing the identity of a Canadian Armed Forces covert operator, according to court documents reviewed by The Epoch Times.

Master Warrant Officer Matthew Robar, 43, was arrested and charged with eight offences, including two alleged violations of Canada’s Foreign Interference and Security of Information Act, on Dec. 10 in Ottawa and was released from custody with various conditions on Dec. 15. He had previously been arrested and released on conditions in late October, with the military alleging that Robar lied about his alleged illicit actions in reports to superiors.

The Dec. 10 charges against Robar stem from alleged prohibited interactions he had with a foreign entity in order to aid Ukraine in its ongoing battle against Russia, according to a Dec. 16 report from CBC and a Dec. 17 report from The Globe and Mail. Both reports cite unnamed sources with knowledge of the case to support their claims. Canada has provided approximately $22 billion to Ukraine to bolster Ukraine’s defence since Russia invaded the country in February 2022.

Few specific details have been made available in Robar’s case, and the identity of the “foreign entity” has not been confirmed in court documents or proceedings, some of which are classified.

Appearing in military court for a custody review on Dec. 15 in Gatineau, Que., military prosecutor Major Max Reede agreed with the defence counsel that Robar’s case does not rise to the gravity of the Jeffrey Delisle case. Delisle, who had worked as a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) navy intelligence officer, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to passing on classified information to Russia over four years in return for more than $110,000. He was released on parole in 2019 after serving a third of his sentence.

In laying out the charges against Robar, Reede alleged that Robar made contact with a foreign entity from a foreign intelligence service regarding a project which used “unconventional activity that involved sensitive techniques.” The project needed to be approved by Robar’s superiors to move forward, which they did not give despite Robar’s repeated requests.

Reede said Robar and the foreign entity allegedly collaborated for more than six months, including Robar allegedly giving the individual unauthorized access to classified information including “the planned movements of a foreign military partner,” prosecution says. Court documents allege that this classified information was used by the foreign entity to pressure and make threats.

The prosecution also alleges that Robar shared the full name and identity of an undercover CAF intelligence operative without the approval of his superiors and lied about bringing his spouse to “vet” the foreign entity in May of last year in order to “minimize his meeting with the foreign entity,” according to court documents.

Robar’s military defence lawyer Major Carlos Da Cruz argued that the case against his client has been “sensationalized” and reminded the court that his client remains innocent unless proven guilty.

“It’s easy to sensationalize these things, but the allegations remain vague and untested,” Cruz said.

Cruz further said that he is concerned about possible violations of Robar’s sections 9 and 10 Charter rights due to delays in materials being furnished to the court and the fact that search warrant materials have not yet been revealed by authorities. Cruz further said that Robar poses no public safety risk or flight risk, though he agreed with the conditions imposed.

Robar was granted release from military jail on Dec. 15 on several conditions, including being barred from any contact with foreign militaries or foreign intelligence services and remaining in Canada unless granted special permission. He was also barred from any access to CAF or Department of National Defence networks and any classified systems, along with other unspecified conditions of release that were listed as classified.

In addition to the Delisle case, former senior RCMP officer Cameron Ortis was found guilty last year of illegally leaking information to targets of police investigations while serving as director general of the National Intelligence Coordination Centre. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Alberta RCMP officer Eli Ndatuje was also arrested last year and charged with leaking protected information to the government of Rwanda.

Another previous case saw Yuesheng Wang, a former employee of Hydro-Québec, charged with spying for China in 2022. Wang has pleaded not guilty.

Those found guilty of breaching section 17(1) of the Foreign Interference and Security of Information Act regarding passing operational information to a foreign entity could get sentences of up to life in prison.

None of the allegations in Robar’s case have been proved in court and it could be weeks or months before a potential prosecution case is convened against him and moves through the military justice system via court martial.

The Ukrainian Embassy in Canada did not respond to a request for comment by time of publication.