More information regarding Sgt. Paisley, and it looks like justice will be swift:
http://www.canada.com/national/natio...a-5a6ef17a8dcf
Because the National post only keeps it's stories up for a day I am re-printing the article in it's entirety here:
Classified files on laptop still missing
AWOL sergeant turns up: Potentially dangerous material disappeared with JTF2 soldier
Chris Wattie
National Post
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Investigators are still trying to find the military laptop computer that disappeared with a member of the Canadian Forces' elite special forces unit nearly two years ago.
Sergeant Montgomery Paisley, an explosives expert with the highly secretive Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2), took the computer with him when he emptied his bank account in Canada and slipped out of the country 21 months ago.
When the burly commando turned up last week at the Canadian embassy in Thailand asking to go home, a Canadian Forces spokesman said he no longer had the laptop, which may have contained classified, even potentially dangerous material.
"He took a Department of National Defence laptop computer with him when he disappeared and it was not recovered when he returned," said Captain Mark Giles, a spokesman for the military police National Investigation Service.
Sgt. Paisley was charged yesterday with desertion, being absent without leave and theft after disappearing without a trace for almost two years, but authorities remain concerned about the still-missing military computer.
Sgt. Paisley was a "supporter" with JTF2, based in Dwyer Hill, just outside Ottawa, providing expertise in explosives, mines and booby traps. He served with the secretive commando force during its 2002 tour of duty in Afghanistan, fighting Taliban and al-Qaeda gunmen in the rugged hills and mountains.
News reports at the time of Sgt. Paisley's disappearance indicated that the missing computer held bomb-making information, but Capt. Giles said there was no information on what it may have contained. "It's an unknown at this point."
Military investigators said the 16-year veteran of the Canadian army has refused to tell them anything about where he was and why he disappeared so abruptly.
"We know he went missing after he had a period of leave; we know he took a flight to Thailand ... but the investigation hasn't turned up any information as to where exactly he went after that point or why he left," said Capt. Giles.
Since being returned to Canada last Friday, Sgt. Paisley has not given investigators any explanation for his disappearance. "For security reasons, he is being held in custody at an undisclosed defence establishment," said Capt. Giles. "This isn't your typical absent without leave case -- he's a senior soldier with some very specialized skills and training ... we want to be prudent about security. It's a precaution."
A team of 13 military police investigators searched for Sgt. Paisley for more than a year, but turned up no clues as to his whereabouts until the native of Brown's Flat, N.B., showed up unannounced at the front door of the embassy in Bangkok.
"After a period of discussion with embassy staff they realized who he was ... and we were notified," said Capt. Giles.
If the sergeant had not given himself up, Capt. Giles said he might still be missing. "The majority of the active search for him was over after the first year."
Sgt. Paisley could face up to five years in prison if a court martial convicts him of desertion, the most serious charge against him. Up to two years of his sentence would likely be served in the Detention Barracks, the notoriously strict military prison in Edmonton.
"This will go to court martial fairly soon and he'll have his day in court," said Capt. Giles.
He said the sergeant will be allowed to contact his family and a military lawyer will be provided to defend him at the court martial. Sgt. Paisley could also hire a civilian lawyer if he so chooses, Capt. Giles said.
© National Post 2005
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