Ted Finn
Encyclopedia
Thomas D'Arcy "Ted" Finn (c. 1939 – December 20, 2007) was the first director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
(CSIS), serving from 1984 until 1987. He "resigned in disgrace" after it was revealed that CSIS had filed an "inaccurate and misleading" affidavit to acquire a warrant for a wiretap.
Born in Ottawa
, he received a law degree from the University of Ottawa
. Finn worked as a criminal lawyer and assistant Crown prosecutor before serving as assistant secretary to the federal cabinet for security and intelligence matters during the 1970s.
Finn was Director when 156 wiretap
s related to the Air India bombing were erased. Justice Ian Josephson
described the erasures as "unacceptable negligence". Of the 210 related wiretaps that were recorded by CSIS, 156 were erased. These tapes continued to be erased according to CSIS policy even after the alleged terrorists had become the primary suspects in the bombing. CSIS claims the wiretaps contained no relevant information. A memo from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) disputes this, stating that "There is a strong likelihood that had CSIS retained the tapes between March and August 1985, that a successful prosecution of at least some of the principals in both bombings could have been undertaken."
Finn resigned as Director of CSIS in 1987, accepting responsibility for the court-filing of an error-ridden and unsubstantiated affidavit in support of a wiretap in relation to the attempted murder of Malkiat Singh Sidhu
.
After his resignation, he returned to private practice.
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...
(CSIS), serving from 1984 until 1987. He "resigned in disgrace" after it was revealed that CSIS had filed an "inaccurate and misleading" affidavit to acquire a warrant for a wiretap.
Born in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, he received a law degree from the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
. Finn worked as a criminal lawyer and assistant Crown prosecutor before serving as assistant secretary to the federal cabinet for security and intelligence matters during the 1970s.
Finn was Director when 156 wiretap
Telephone tapping
Telephone tapping is the monitoring of telephone and Internet conversations by a third party, often by covert means. The wire tap received its name because, historically, the monitoring connection was an actual electrical tap on the telephone line...
s related to the Air India bombing were erased. Justice Ian Josephson
Ian Josephson
A Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Ian Josephson gained national attention overseeing the trial of two persons accused of bombing Air India Flight 182, the largest mass-murder in Canadian history....
described the erasures as "unacceptable negligence". Of the 210 related wiretaps that were recorded by CSIS, 156 were erased. These tapes continued to be erased according to CSIS policy even after the alleged terrorists had become the primary suspects in the bombing. CSIS claims the wiretaps contained no relevant information. A memo from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
(RCMP) disputes this, stating that "There is a strong likelihood that had CSIS retained the tapes between March and August 1985, that a successful prosecution of at least some of the principals in both bombings could have been undertaken."
Finn resigned as Director of CSIS in 1987, accepting responsibility for the court-filing of an error-ridden and unsubstantiated affidavit in support of a wiretap in relation to the attempted murder of Malkiat Singh Sidhu
Malkiat Singh Sidhu
Malkiad Singh Sidhu was the former Planning Minister of Punjab, India. He was a member of the Akali Dal political party. In 1986, he was named Minister of State....
.
After his resignation, he returned to private practice.