Top Canadian police official arrested on spying charges

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said on Friday that they had arrested a senior intelligence officer for allegedly stealing sensitive documents.

Cameron Ortis faces five charges under Canada's criminal code and its Security of Information Act, the federal police agency said in a statement.

"The allegations are that he obtained, stored, processed sensitive information, we believe with the intent to communicate it to people that he shouldn't be communicating it to," prosecutor John MacFarlane told journalists after Ortis appeared in court on Friday.

Canada's Global News reported that Ortis, who was arrested Thursday, was a top advisor to former RCMP commissioner Bob Paulson, and had control over counter-intelligence operations.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is campaigning for a second term in office, told reporters at an election rally "I can assure you that the authorities are taking this extremely seriously," without commenting further.

His opponent Conservative leader Andrew Scheer said it was "extremely concerning that a senior RCMP intelligence officer has been arrested for leaking national security information."
The public broadcaster Radio-Canada said Ortis is a specialist in East Asia, critical infrastructure and online "bots."