A member of the Canadian military intelligence branch who is not commissioned has been accused of sharing classified information with a foreign entity, as per the Department of National Defence. Master Warrant Officer Matthew Robar was taken into custody by military police on Wednesday and is facing eight charges under the National Defence Act. The charges include allegations of communicating “special operational information” and breach of trust, according to a statement issued by the Defence Department.
The arrest follows a collaborative investigation between the military’s National Investigation Service and the RCMP’s national security enforcement team. The identity of the foreign entity involved was not disclosed in the statement, and the Defence Department declined to provide further details.
Military police initiated an inquiry into Robar in 2024 after suspicions arose of unauthorized disclosure of information to a foreign individual or group. The Canadian Forces Intelligence Command, the military’s intelligence branch, fully cooperated with the investigation, as confirmed by the department.
Robar is currently in custody, as stated by the Defence Department. However, the spokesperson did not disclose the scheduled appearance before a military judge to safeguard the integrity of the ongoing judicial process and the sensitivity of the national security investigation.
The cooperation during the investigation received accolades from the head of military police, Brig.-Gen. Vanessa Hanrahan, emphasizing the importance of joint efforts in safeguarding national security. Being charged under military law implies that any trial would be conducted through a court martial, ensuring tighter control over public information release by the military.
This incident is not the first espionage case within the military intelligence community. In 2012, former sub-lieutenant Jeffrey Paul Delisle pleaded guilty to selling information to the Russians, leading to concerns within the national security community regarding the presentation of evidence in open court.
Lessons from the Delisle case have influenced the approach to the current situation, with a focus on a potentially more secretive legal process. Retired colonel Michel Drapeau highlighted the importance of expertise in handling national security cases, suggesting that the federal government’s Public Prosecution Service of Canada may play a crucial role in such trials.
