Ex-commando arrested before JTF2 memoir release

[stegner]

Ex-commando arrested before JTF2 memoir release

Updated Wed. Apr. 30 2008 6:52 PM ET

The Canadian Press

MONTREAL -- An ex-commando was arrested just 24 hours before the release of his candid memoir about life in Canada's elite Joint Task Force 2, leading his co-author to suggest authorities are trying to discredit the book's claims.

Denis Morisset was preparing to do publicity for his book detailing secret missions in Afghanistan, Peru and even an Ottawa bank, when he was arrested Tuesday and charged with contacting two minors with the intent of committing sexual crimes.

Morisset appeared in court on Wednesday as his French-language book was released in Quebec stores.

The military said the book is a threat to national security while Morisset's publishers called it the only public, first-hand account about the inner workings of the JTF2.

Morisset, who says he was a member of the special forces unit for eight years, was preparing to do publicity for his book "Nous Etions Invincibles'' ("We Were Invincible") when he was arrested.

"The coincidence is strange,'' Morisset's ghostwriter, Claude Coulombe, told The Canadian Press. "Why do this on the eve of the book's publication?''

"Nous Etions Invincibles'' traces Morisset's ambitious beginnings with the JTF2 from its inception in 1993 to his disillusioned transfer in 2001.

Though vague on dates, the book contains startling revelations about the obscure unit's purported activities at home and abroad.

Morisset claims JTF2 was called as backup in a hostage-taking at an Ottawa bank in 1994.

The force's commanders informed them it would be good opportunity to put their training in practise and ordered them to "eliminate'' the hostage-takers.

In Morisset's telling, the commandos entered the building, shot the suspects, then left -- leaving Ottawa police to take care of the hostages.

Jean-Claude Larouche, the book's publisher, says he received a letter Monday from the Department of National Defence warning the book's publication could threaten national security.

A spokesperson for the department echoed the concerns expressed in the letter.

"Mr. Morisset's book is an unauthorized account of the Joint Task Force 2,'' said Lt. Isabelle Riche.

"Such publications have the potential to endanger the safety of JTF2 members and their families. They can also jeopardize the effectiveness of operations by disclosing sensitive and classified information.

"In order to mitigate those risks, all members of JTF2 sign a non-disclosure agreement upon leaving the unit.''

In his book, Morisset says the unit helped take out more than a dozen Shining Path guerrillas after they took Canadian ambassador Anthony Vincent and a host of other dignitaries hostage on Dec. 17, 1996.

All the militants and one hostage died in the raid 126 days after the standoff began.

Morisset relates a mission in Afghanistan, conducted sometime prior to 2001, that he says was ordered by CSIS without government approval.

The mission was aimed at gathering information about a cease-fire agreement along Tajikistan border, but ended when the soldiers were caught in a firefight between the two sides.

Morisset says he was shot in the knee during the incident.

Morisset has faced legal trouble before. In 2003, not long after he left the military, he pleaded guilty to similar sex charges and served a 14-month prison sentence.

He claims in his book that at the time he was conducting an investigation for CSIS into government employees using the Internet for pornography.

Morisset says he was ordered to admit the crimes, but maintains today he did nothing wrong.

Quebec police wouldn't comment on their investigation, but Coulombe raised the possibility that it was a rush job.

"One of the accusations says he was on the Internet at 6:35 (Tuesday) morning,'' said Coulombe. "But at that time he was giving a radio interview... he can't be at two places at once.''

Morisset's publisher was taken aback by his author's sudden arrest Tuesday.

"I am surprised, disappointed and pained,'' said Larouche, the head of Les Editions JCL.

Coulombe insists there are few details in the book that were not already available in previous books about the unit.

One of its most damning allegations may be that six JTF2 members have committed suicide over the years.

Coulombe, who has known Morisset since 1993, says the book was a way for the one-time commando to deal with his own severe case of post-traumatic stress disorder.

"It's not a book of revenge,'' he said. "It really was to lift a weight off his shoulders.

Morisset's friend and co-writer is worried about how he will cope in the meantime.

"He told me (from jail) that `six members have killed themselves so far and they want a seventh one, so they're going it,''' Coulombe said.

"I am really worried about what will happen next.''

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080430/jtf2_memoir_080430/20080430?hub=TopStories

 

[Armymedic]

Nothing like a criminal case to provide free advertising for your up coming book.

 

[PMedMoe]

Morisset has faced legal trouble before. In 2003, not long after he left the military, he pleaded guilty to similar sex charges and served a 14-month prison sentence.

He claims in his book that at the time he was conducting an investigation for CSIS into government employees using the Internet for pornography.

Morisset says he was ordered to admit the crimes, but maintains today he did nothing wrong.

Sure.  And it's just a coincidence now that he's been arrested on similar charges.  Maybe he'll get off because of his PTSD.  :

 

[MarkS33]

In Morisset's telling, the commandos entered the building, shot the suspects, then left -- leaving Ottawa police to take care of the hostages.

I think somebody has been reading too much Rainbow Six lately...

 

[1feral1]

I would read this book if it was in engrish anda available here. I would read Darnel Bass's also, if I had a copy here.  I knew Bass, but not that well.

To get into SF, you have to be switched on all all ways, so I can't see Morriset being a nutcase prior to being TOS'd by the SF unit in question. Nor do I think he is now.

Truth or not so truths, its one mans interpetation of how things affected his life, and how hee seen things during his TI.

However, he should not go into sensitive operational detail, but there is more than one way to tell a story without upsetting the apple cart.

I'll hold off judgement until I can get more info both on him, and the book.

 

[Retired AF Guy]

I'll hold off judgement until I can get more info both on him, and the book.

Wesley,

Normally I would agree with you, however, there are a couple of things that so far don't add up. First thing is the bank hostage situation in Ottawa in '94. It would seem strange that the military would be called in for a criminal matter. While I can see members attending in a observer status (especially as this was during the formative stages of JTF-2), but actually going in and killing the hostage takers doesn't make sense. Also, the JTF-2 commanders would have no say in the matter, the local police ETF commander would have control as to who went in or not. Plus, if JTF-2 had actually done the shooting it would have leaked out well before now.

The second thing that doesn't add up is the 2001 "CSIS" operation in Afghanistan. First off, JTF-2 is a strategic military assets that reports to CDS/MND, CSIS has no control over it. For JTF-2 to carryout a mission of this type would require the approval of the very least the CDS' approval and I cannot imagine the CDS (either General Maurice Baril or Ray Henault  depending on time of the year) ordering such a mission without the PM's approval.

Any way, I'm sure we will be hearing more about this as in the next few days. Ciao!

 

[George Wallace]

Why does this get drawn out every time there is a case like this?

Coulombe, who has known Morisset since 1993, says the book was a way for the one-time commando to deal with his own severe case of post-traumatic stress disorder.

The whole thing has both sides grasping at straws.  I am sure that this is going to keep some journalists glued to the case and it will be a regular monthly item in editions of the National Enquirer.

 

[geo]

Hmmm....
Will have to see if there are any copies of the book on the shelves this weekend.
At the very worst.... it'll be a good yarn to consume late at night 8)

 

[big_castor]

Some excerpts (in french) are available here.

 

[40below]

the local police ETF commander would have control as to who went in or not. Plus, if JTF-2 had actually done the shooting it would have leaked out well before now.

This. It smells more than a farmyard in July. Having covered cops for 20 years, there's no way a police TRU commander would stand his guys down and cede jurisdiction to a military unit in a civilian setting, no matter how well-trained they were, because he's going to be wearing the bag if anything goes wrong. There could be high-ranking officers willing to toss away their jobs and their pensions in such circumstances, but I doubt you'd find too many. Ottawa has Parliament and a few other important buildings and has a couple of highly-trained city police and RCMP tactical units, and if they needed backup, they'd call OPP. JTF would probably be allowed to watch from the command van but there's NO way the police would allow them to go in there with guns blazing. And if they had, every cop in the city would know about it 20 minutes later and after 14 years, at least one of them would have talked.

Also, would it not have come out at autopsy that the bank robbers were shot with military ammunition rather than police issue? That in itself would be a huge red flag, because any death at the hands of police is an automatic public inquest where such matters are put on the table, including the cause and manner of death. They also summons the police who were responsible for the death or who were nearby when it happens, so those front-line guys would then be required to perjure themselves under oath and say they did the shooting to protect the JTF.

No way.

 

[KevinB]

.

Also, would it not have come out at autopsy that the bank robbers were shot with military ammunition rather than police issue? That in itself would be a huge red flag, because any death at the hands of police is an automatic public inquest where such matters are put on the table, including the cause and manner of death.

I dont buy the incident - but just offering no other comments but
1)  I am pretty sure in that time frame JTF-2 was still taking the same round the RCMP SERT had been issuing, and Federal buy 9mm HP will be the same round cross Canada, which at that time I beleive was Federal BPLE 115gr +P+ JHP.  I dont recall when OPD went to .40cal but IIRC it was after that date. 
2) I dont recall any Hostage takings in Ottawa during that period that ended that way.
3) Not all police shootings require a public inquest

 

[Sf2]

It would seem strange that the military would be called in for a criminal matter. While I can see members attending in a observer status (especially as this was during the formative stages of JTF-2), but actually going in and killing the hostage takers doesn't make sense. Also, the JTF-2 commanders would have no say in the matter, the local police ETF commander would have control as to who went in or not.

Why would SERT hand over their duties to JTF2 only to not be allowed to engage hostage takers?  That doesn't make any sense.  Of course they are allowed.  That is the reason for their existence.

There is an extensive legal process that allows the military to take over a situation and engage the bad guys.

 

[ArmyRick]

Interesting stuff. I will watch and see on this one. Any other news on this guy?

 

[Old Sweat]

The situation as described is not one that would call for military intervention. At the time there were two ways that the CF could support civilian law enforcement. The first, aid of the civil power, required the attorney general of a province to requistion military assistance from the CDS in the case of a real or apprehended insurrection beyond the capacity of the province to handle. The second, armed assistance to another government department, required the solicitor general to request assistance from the minister of national defence after receiving the request from his provincial counterpart. If the MND approved the request, he would then pass it to the CDS for action. A hostage taking as part of a criminal act would not qualify in either case.

Furthermore, at the time I was in J3 in NDHQ and part of my duties concerned support to law enforcement. If this incident had happened, I would have been aware of the situation and would have been in continual contact with the solicitor general's department.

The incident never happened.

 

[Weinie]

        This is fiction, plain and simple.

 

[Remius]

Yeah right.  All you nay sayers work for the MIB.  ;D

 

[Greymatters]

Its fairly easy for a person to write a story claiming a secret unit did so-and-so and he did this-and-that.  Unfortunately, the units in question are bound to silence and cannot publicly refute the claims of the story writer.  Fortunately there are always persons out there who, having been in the right places in the past, can verify that this story...

SOUNDS LIKE COMPLETE BS

Put on your helmet boys and girls, Im sure the book is a real hoot...  :warstory:


"The military said the book is a threat to national security while Morisset's publishers called it the only public, first-hand account about the inner workings of the JTF2."
  ...but then...
"Coulombe insists there are few details in the book that were not already available in previous books about the unit."

Even the publisher is full of it...

 

[The Bread Guy]

"Coulombe insists there are few details in the book that were not already available in previous books about the unit."

If that's the case, what's the point of a new book?    ???  Then again, if it's in French, at least they're tapping a different audience...

 

[Remius]

if it's BS, then how is it a threat to National Security?  just saying.

Wouldn't have been prudent to just dismiss the details in the book and pass the guy off as a quack?

 

[George Wallace]

if it's BS, then how is it a threat to National Security?  just saying.

Wouldn't have been prudent to just dismiss the details in the book and pass the guy off as a quack?

Because; even BS when read in the wrong context can create a Breach of Security or perhaps an International Incident.  False 'Rumours' and 'Innuendo' can be very damaging. 

Let's just pretend you are someone of importance, and someone wrote to a newspaper that you were a pedophile.  It doesn't have to have any semblance of truth to it, but your reputation has now been irreparably damaged and/or perhaps totally destroyed.

Do you understand now?