A Canadian naval intelligence officer accused of spying was denied bail by a judge in Halifax Friday.
Sub-Lt. Jeffrey Paul Delisle is charged with communicating information that could harm national interests and has been held in custody at a Nova Scotia correctional facility since his arrest in January.
"We're disappointed that he wasn't released from custody," defence lawyer Mike Taylor said outside court. "It's not a total surprise. It never is."
Delisle was charged under a section of the Security Information Act passed by the House of Commons following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
Delisle is the first person to be charged under that section of the Act, the RCMP said.
A publication ban was imposed on evidence at the bail hearing Wednesday.
Court documents state one of the alleged offences happened between July 6, 2007, and Jan. 13, 2012, while the other offence is alleged to have occurred between Jan. 10 and Jan. 13 of this year.
Delisle also faces a breach of trust charge under the Criminal Code.
All the offences are alleged to have occurred in or near Halifax, Ottawa and Kingston, Ont.
Until 2010, Delisle worked for both the Chief of Defence Intelligence and the Strategic Joint Staff, which oversees most aspects of the military's domestic and international plans and operations.
He joined the regular forces in 2001 and was promoted to sergeant before being accepted for a two-year program in Kingston as an officer candidate. He eventually returned to Halifax to work at the army's Atlantic headquarters.
Last August, Delisle was posted to Trinity, a highly secure naval intelligence centre in Halifax.
Delisle's case has been adjourned until May 8.
With files from The Canadian Press
