A Canadian military counter-intelligence officer accused of sharing confidential information with a foreign entity has been released from custody under specific conditions by a military judge. Master Warrant Officer Matthew Robar is facing eight charges under the National Defence Act, including the transmission of “special operational information” to a foreign entity.
Robar appeared before a military court in Gatineau, Quebec, five days after his arrest and charges were laid by military police. He is a member of the counter-intelligence branch with 24 years of military service and had been detained at Garrison Petawawa since his arrest.
The Department of National Defence has chosen not to respond to several inquiries regarding the case, such as the identity of the foreign entity or organization involved. Robar was detained twice this year, with his most recent arrest occurring on December 10 after being previously held without charge for 24 hours on October 24.
Military Judge Col. Nancy Isenor’s release order has both a classified and unclassified version, mandating Robar to surrender his passport, refrain from contact with individuals associated with the foreign entity, potential witnesses, and specified Canadian military personnel. Additionally, he was instructed to avoid individuals linked to foreign intelligence services, not discuss his case with Canadian Forces Intelligence Command (CFINTCOM) members, and abstain from sharing case details on social media.
Before his arrest, Robar was embroiled in an internal investigation within his unit concerning allegations of misconduct. The investigation led to a reprimand in the spring, but the specific accusations were not fully disclosed to him. The reprimand cited instances of alleged misconduct without providing detailed information on the events that occurred between May 11-20 and September 9-21, 2024.