Sub.-Lt. Jeffrey Paul Delisle leaves provincial court after pleading guilty to charges related to communicating information to a foreign entity, before his preliminary hearing in Halifax on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press
On Jan. 13, 2012, RCMP Sergeant Jimmy Moffat spent three-and-a-half hours grilling Canadian Forces naval-intelligence officer Jeffrey Delisle.
Sergeant Moffat, who has given seminars on the art of police interviewing, questioned Sub-Lieutenant Delisle just hours after he was arrested at his Halifax home on espionage-related charges.
The following is an edited and condensed transcript of some salient exchanges that took place in a police-station interview room. The suspect, who would not initially admit his culpability, ended up confessing to Sgt. Moffat.
SLt. Delisle pleaded guilty to the espionage offences in court earlier this month.
-- Colin Freeze (cfreeze@globeandmail.com)
SERGEANT JIMMY MOFFAT (RCMP): What kind of person would communicate information illegally, a document to Russia?
JEFFREY PAUL DELISLE (JPD): It could be a number of reasons. It could be disgruntlement. It could be monetary. It could be ideology. It could be beliefs. It could be anything. I just don't know.
RCMP: We will do surveillance, okay? We will tap onto your phones. We will listen to your every one of your conversations. We have the means to do wiretaps on any military base. We do have that ability anywhere in the country. And anywhere in the world.
We also monitor the Internet, everything a person does. We will be able to know every time the person touches a key -- so you type 'I love you' I see 'I love you.' You erase 'I love you' I still see 'I love you.'
Well Jeff -- I did a good investigation and I know all the evidence. And there is no doubt in my mind, Jeff, that you did transmit classified documents illegally to Russia.
Now Jeff something must have gone wrong in your career with the Forces. You probably needed money ... you went through a lot of pain ...
JPD: A lot of pain.
RCMP: A lot of pain. Okay.
Jeff you did not get anybody killed and that's important. You knew there was a risk for our country. But the risk is over now. We took control.
The only thing left is for you to explain, to me, why you've done that so we can work together, to find a solution, so that it doesn't happen again, right?
You didn't join the Canadian Forces with a goal on your mind saying 'I will join the Canadian Forces and I will betray the Canadian Forces.' You swore allegiance to the Queen.
You are among the most respected people in the organization. They probably had saw you as some day being one of the head guys in the intel business. Cause you know, when I read your reports, it's like you're the king.
We were monitoring everything. Jeff, we have you, okay?
You're caught. You're so caught Jeff. Believe it.
But you know there is always a reason why people do a thing they do....
JPD: There is ... Jim. I've been so dead. So dead inside.
I am so dead. My wife , that I loved for so long -- killed me. The pain of her betrayal and the pain she put my children through -- you do not understand.
I loved her for 19 years and she betrayed me, not once but twice. I kicked her out cause I caught her cheating. I thought of suicide, I wanted to die but I can't leave my children ...
RCMP: Cause you're a good dad Jeff. You are.
JPD: So I committed professional suicide. That's what I did, professional suicide.
RCMP: We can't take all that pressure off your shoulder.
But you know what? If we go by pound, we take 100 pounds off your shoulder, that's gonna be a lot less right? And then, little by little the pressure will go away, right?
Jeff you can help us do damage control, OK? If the situation had happened somewhere else you probably would have been the person they would have called first to help them do the damage control -- because they know that you are a bright intelligence officer.
JPD: Professional suicide. I still remember the day. I couldn't move.
I walked right into the Russian embassy. From that day on that was the end of my days as Jeff Delisle.
The day my wife cheated.
RCMP: You are good man, buddy.
JPD: I walked right into the embassy and said 'Here I am!' It wasn't for the money. The money was nothing ...