Natural Resources Canada raised concerns about former federal scientist Dennis Lu to the country’s top spy agency over two decades ago, not the other way around, as revealed by a rare disclosure of a document in court by the agency. There was a 23-month gap between the last briefing to Lu’s employer in February 2021 and the start of Natural Resources’ internal investigation in January 2023.
Lu’s security clearance was eventually revoked, leading to criminal charges of breach of trust and unauthorized use of a computer. Allegedly, Lu copied over 2,500 documents from the Natural Resources network onto a USB key and external drive. His trial is scheduled for January in Ottawa’s Superior Court.
During a court session, a Department of Justice lawyer clarified that the initial tip about Lu came from the government, not CSIS. The lawyer referenced a CSIS document from November 2000, which highlighted Lu inviting a Chinese delegation without proper authorization.
A former chief security officer at Natural Resources testified about resource constraints hindering the investigation into Lu. The delay in the formal investigation was attributed to operational limitations within the security team.
Concerns regarding foreign interference from China, Lu’s connections, and his actions prompted heightened scrutiny. Lu’s request to regain network access upon his return to Canada raised suspicions, leading to his security clearance revocation.
The investigation involved searching through years of Lu’s emails and phone records. The inquiry also uncovered security loopholes and co-operative agreements with China, raising further questions about potential risks and the handling of sensitive information.
The pre-trial motions for Lu’s case are ongoing, with a trial scheduled for next year.