Arrested Canadian intelligence official Cameron Ortis had access to allies’ secrets, head of police agency says
- ‘Unsettling’ charges faced by director general of RCMP’s National Intelligence Coordination Centre leave many in police agency shaken
- Ortis worked in operations research and national security criminal investigations, and had access to information from Canada’s international partners
A top Canadian intelligence official charged with violating the nation’s rarely used secrets law had access to high-level intelligence from Canada’s international allies, the head of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said on Monday.
Cameron Ortis, 47, served as director general of the RCMP’s National Intelligence Coordination Centre, a unit that deals with national security risks ranging from financing terrorism to nuclear threats.
Ortis, a civilian, was arrested and charged last week with obtaining information to give to a foreign entity or terrorist group, communicating “special operational information” and breach of trust.
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said on Monday that the “unsettling” charges had “shaken” many in Canada’s federal police agency.
“We are aware of the potential risk to agency operations of our partners in Canada and abroad and we thank them for their continued collaboration,” she said in a statement. She said that “mitigation strategies are being put in place as required”.