|
INSIDE THE INVESTIGATION WEEK FOUR Part 11: The Biggest Lie
"Dave is alive"
It was now Monday, week four since Dave's
disappearance. I had a meeting scheduled later that day with CSIS, the
Canadian Security Intelligence Agency to discuss Dave's disappearance in
Cambodia. Dave had done work for CSIS, advising on Khmer Rouge
perpetrator fugitives infiltrating Canada hidden among Cambodian
refugees pouring into the country during the 1980s. I was hoping on a
long shot, that as their asset Dave had now gone missing in Cambodia that CSIS
might have some information or additional resources to bring to bear on the investigation of
his disappearance. Although unlikely, it was not outside the realm
of possibility that Dave's former work as a Khmer Rouge "hunter"
in Canada might
have bitten him on the ass upon his return to Cambodia. Some
Cambodian-Canadian refugees of the 1980s had re-established their
presence in Cambodia in the 2000s. Many former Khmer Rouge
perpetrators not only returned to Cambodia, but rose to positions of
wealth and power. Many are currently in the senior ranks of the military
and in the police. The current dictator prime minister of Cambodian Hun
Sen is a former senior Pol Pot Khmer Rouge cadre commander
who defected with his faction to Vietnam during the Pol Pot genocidal purges of
his own party in the 1970s. And now Dave was raking over all that history of who did
what in the genocide and where they were today
with his proposed film about the Khmer Rouge era,
The Poorest Man.
The previous week after our combined efforts to
publically call on the Cambodians to begin taking Dave Walker's
disappearance in Cambodia seriously, it seemed like they finally began
to act. At the end of the third week I had drawn up a long-term
strategy plan in case Dave's disappearance was not readily resolved, but
personality problems with one of the people investigating Dave's
disappearance, Nate Thayer, sapped most of my time and
focus during the week. That weekend Thayer lied to Tammy Madon, telling
her that the Cambodian police were dropping the investigation because of
the family statement that I had drafted and posted in the preceding
week. [ See Page 12
and Page 13 ]. Not know
what to think, Tammy briefly on Saturday cut communications with me.
We resumed our contact on Sunday night, preparing for
what we felt was going to be a crucial upcoming fourth week. On my
advice, Tammy Madon retained an American attorney in Cambodia, Bradley
Gordon, who had very persistently lobbied me on Facebook to be brought
into the case free of charge, "pro bono." [See
Page 9]
"You have violated all confidentiality
agreements."
That Monday morning I caught Nate Thayer in yet a
second lie, that he had talked with Edmonton Police, when he actually
had not. On Sunday night, after Tammy called me and told me that Nate
had "resigned from the investigation", I e-mailed him and Richard Ehrlich
asking for information so as I could continue on looking for Dave if Thayer was going to
stand down as he threatened to Tammy he was going to do. The
daunting thing about all this, was that we had no clue as to what
happened to Dave and the possibility of him being held captive at this
point was not outside the realm of reality.
Nate Thayer's response
was to claim that the Edmonton Police informed him that they are not the
agency to forward information on Dave to, a blatant barefaced lie
from Thayer. This time, both Tammy Madon and I will catch Thayer lying.
As Thayer was claiming Edmonton Police were telling him one thing, both
Tammy and I had the Edmonton Police Constable Jim Gurney on another
line, telling us he had received a message for Thayer, but had not
spoken with him yet. Thayer was making things up as he was going
along.
I was urging Thayer, for Dave's sake, to share his
investigative data if not with me and Tammy, then at least with the
Edmonton Police.
|
From: Peter Vronsky
Sent: Sunday, March 02, 2014 10:19 PM
To: Nate Thayer
Cc: tammy ; richard ehrlich rituals in pagodas
Subject: Investigative Notes
Hi Nate and Richard:
Tammy tells me you had to call off the search for Dave. That is
disappointing.
We are continuing to search for Dave and last night and today in
Keswick’s Cambodian community I unearthed some major leads on
our person of interest and his brother and family.
We are hoping the info will unfold into a paper trail leading
back to Dave in Cambodia and we are very close to a break
through here.
Can you and Richard kindly share and send Tammy and me your
investigative notes and data.
You may have in your data the last piece of information we need
to complete our lead to Dave.
For Dave’s sake, let’s not let our disagreements get in the way.
Regards and with sincere respect,
Peter Vronsky
From: Peter Vronsky
Sent: Sunday, March 02, 2014 11:06 PM
To: Richard Ehrlich rituals in pagodas
Subject: Fw: Investigative Notes
Richard, Nate has called off his investigation and might have
gone to bed as I am sure he is exhausted, while you might be up
already.
We need soonest all the investigative data and notes you have.
Phone logs, everything Sonny put together. Everything. Hold back
nothing.
If you or Nate can add an assessment and analysis on top of the
raw data, that will help.
I have been working the Keswick Cambodians where Dave and Sal
Mao’s family had some real-estate deals. There are leads coming
out of here to Cambodia and to Dave.
I need your info please. This is about finding Dave. It always
has been. Not about egos. You might be holding a key to the
missing link that will lead us to Dave.
Send Tammy and me everything you got as Nate has called off his
investigation.
Have a heart.
On Mon, Mar 3, 2014 at 9:06 AM,
Peter Vronsky wrote:
Nate – Richard
Do not do this. Have some heart and pity for Dave.
If you won’t send the info to Tammy and me, please, please send
it to Edmonton Police Constable
Jim.Gurney@edmontonpolice.ca
BUT NOW NOW NOW WITH ALL HASTE
You might have the last piece necessary.
Do not withhold information from Edmonton Police.
Dave is not another Pol Pot in the jungle – this is not a news
story but Dave’s life you are toying with.
 From: Nate Thayer
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2014 11:21 AM
To: Peter Vronsky
Subject: Re: Fw: Investigative Notes
THIS EMAIL IS CONFIDENTIAL AND CAN NOT BE SHARED WITH ANYONE
UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER PENALTY OF LAW
Peter,
Get a hold of yourself. The investigation is going forward
despite your insistence to attempt to destroy the progress made.
All information is being coordinated with the proper
authorities. That does not include you, who have a proven track
record of directly causing damage.
I, as well, am informed by the Edmonton
authorities that they are not--repeat not--the proper Canadian
authorities to liaise with on this investigation.
You have provided exactly zero credible evidence to date over
more than two weeks. You have violated
all confidentiality agreements resulting in serious
setbacks to the case and alerting key people undermining the
investigation.
You are providing exactly no information or specifics of your
claims of being "on a major breakthrough" etc etc. All your
previous claims similar have proven not only false, but have
damaged the actual progress made.
The authorities and serious professional investigators consider
you a minor menace to solving Dave's case.
If you care about the resolution of this investigation more than
you do with feeding and publicizing your own ego, then share the
information you have with those who are officially in charge
with the investigation.
You are causing great damage. But you already know that and
don't care quite clearly.
There will be no more communication with you as you have proven
untrustworthy, clueless of the facts on the ground, unwilling to
cooperate with the proper investigators, and sabotaging any
efforts that don't ensure Peter Vronsky's name in the public eye
is more important than solving Dave's case. Please stand down
immediately.
If you have information you think is relevant, which you have
provided exactly none, please share it and I will see if gets to
the appropriate authorities.
If you don', at least stop contacting those who are serious
about solving this case. None of them see you as other than
poison to making progress on Dave's status.
Quit wasting our time and diverting our energy to babysit your
amateur sleuth efforts.
Nate Thayer
|
"Nate thinks Dave is alive and
wants the bank records."
And now Thayer was telling a third lie, and this one was big and
dangerous: that he had discovered Dave was still alive and being
held captive. If true, then I would need to immediately sit
out from doing anything further; it would now be a very delicate
negotiating issue in Cambodia on which Dave's life would hang by a
thread and it would have to be completely handled by Nate Thayer if indeed
he had successfully located Dave. Even
to second guess Thayer was potentially risking Dave's life. It was
a very powerful lie to lay on us. What Nate was not telling us,
was that this claim was coming from the same place we all had been
getting our information on Dave's disappearance: from Sonny Chhoun,
his business partner. Thayer's pathological lying was
now becoming visible to both myself and Tammy Madon.
|
Facebook Messages Monday March 3, 2014
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon to Peter
Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 2:24pm EST
I spoke to Jim Gurney the Edmonton police. They are receiving
calls from Cambodian police. I requested bank records. And Nate
messaged me also wanting bank records. They think he is alive.
Peter Vronsky to Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 2:25pm EST
Wonderful. Nate thinks Dave is alive or Cambodian
police and Edmonton police?
Peter Vronsky to Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 2:28pm EST
Because I just caught Nate in a lie. He said Edmonton police
told him they are not the proper agency to send information to,
but I have Jim Gurney on the other line, and he said Nate called
him and left a message but he never returned Nate's call. Nate
is lying.
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon to Peter
Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 2:29pm EST
Yup Nate told me the same thing. And I also asked Jim if he knew
Nate or heard from him. He said Nate sent him an email and left
a message.
Yes Nate thinks Dave is alive and wants the bank records.
Peter Vronsky to Tammy
Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 2:31pm EST
In the meantime, tell Nate that you will see what you can do. We
will decide later today how to handle Nate. Whether he is crazy
enough to find Dave or whether we should ice him. I keep
thinking he should be left to run free. Ask him to forward all
his information to Edmonton PD and in the meantime, once they
get Nate's info, you will look into sending him what he asks.
If he forwards info to Edmonton PD, we can
trust him. If he insists running this without Edmonton PD. We
will have to think.
Peter Vronsky to Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 2:44pm EST
Ask Jim's advice on handling Nate too. I
spoke with Jim and he read a few of Nate's e-mails. What does
Jim advise. Whatever he says, do.
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 2:56pm EST
Alright. The bank is going to let me know when I will receive
the records
Peter Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 3:02pm EST
I just asked Nate too to please send his information to Jim at
Edmonton PD -- because he (Nate) know what is happening on the
ground and how critical it might be to saving Dave's life. I
will be in and out next two hour as I go to CSIS -- but you can
call me on my cell - xxx-xxx-xxxx.
If you cannot reach me, call JIM for advice. Edmonton PD will
know how to handle anything that comes up. God is with us.
Peter Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 3:25pm EST
Asking Caitlin, Nate's friend to reason with him.
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 4:04pm EST
Hi Peter. I just spoke to jim. He will call Nate right away.
I also asked nate to send what information he had to the local
police and what ever he would do to help I appreciate.
Peter Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 5:08pm EST
Wonderful. Let Edmonton PD handle him, and we can think through
whether to let Nate run wild with advice from Jim, once Jim gets
a sense of him. It's such a hard decision, because as I keep
saying, Nate might be "crazy enough to find Dave." And I
told Jim the same thing. I want to deploy every resource
available for Dave, and if Nate can be helpful, including Nate.
Talked to CSIS. As I thought they listened
more than talked... Will talk tonight when I get home and
tomorrow I am free all day to do whatever needs to be done.
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 5:56pm EST
Ok sounds good
|
|
|
All day long I had been trying to persuade and cajole
Nate Thayer to share his information with Edmonton PD, if he actually
had any to share. Finally I had to threaten Thayer with preferring
charges against him for "withholding evidence" and sending the
Washington DC PD to him to collect the information if he was not going
to share it with Edmonton PD. Jim Gurney, however, warned me that
this could only work perhaps as a bluff, because as long as this was not
an official criminal investigation, Edmonton PD had no authority to
demand from Thayer the information. He either would volunteer it or
there was nothing they could do. It was not "withholding
evidence" until it becomes an official criminal investigation. Thayer
finally relented at the end of the day and accepted a call from Jim
Gurney. I asked Gurney afterwards his take on Thayer and what to
do with him. After hearing what Gurney had to say I asked him to
advise Tammy as how to best proceed with Nate Thayer and his claims if
she was unable to reach me while I was meeting with CSIS.
|
From: Nate Thayer
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2014 2:56 PM
To: Peter Vronsky
Subject: Re: Investigative Notes
Jim Gurney has my number. I have called him. The Edmonton police
department tells me and many others they are not investigating
Dave's case. I will no longer waste my time talking to you
Vronsky. You are obsessed with yourself and have offered exactly
zero information to this case to date. get a grip on your
yourself. you are distracting from the real and effective
efforts here. You have no credibility. If you want to put
someone in touch with me who has some credibility, feel free to
do so.
Stop wasting my time.
And threatening me with legal action because I refuse to deal
with an amateur discredited sleuth who is insistant on making
his personal agenda more important than the case? Please. Leave
yourself out of this. You have no idea the damage you have and
are doing now to solving Dave's case.
From: Peter Vronsky
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2014 3:24 PM
To: Nate Thayer
Subject: Re: Investigative Notes
Nate, why don’t you just fire off your data to Jim. He is very
busy as you know what is under way. And then go do what you can
do. I honestly believe you are crazy enough to find Dave and I
will love you forever if you do. But just send Jim a copy of
everything you have. I am sure if you need more stuff, we can
share with you what you need to keep your end moving.
It is not about our two honking egos -- lets you and I work
together for Dave right now. No threats, no nonsense, no past,
no offenses, sorry I called you a cocksucker, etc..
And I advised Jim, that you are hard wired into Cambodia and are
serious. Maybe he just can’t take or return your call this
moment. Again: YOU KNOW WHAT is happening. You can imagine how
everybody is trying to manage under crisis. Help us out as we
are asking. Jim might be seriously tied up but he will get to
you.
From: Jim Gurney
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2014 5:10 PM
To: 'Peter Vronsky'
Subject: RE: Investigative Notes
Thanks Peter,
I have been in contact with Nate THAYER and he is aware of the
EPS’ role in the case. I will continue to liaise with Tammy
MADON.
Cst. Jim Gurney
Edmonton Police Service
Missing Persons Unit
9620-103A Ave
Edmonton AB, T5H 0H7
Office (780) 421-2202
Fax (780) 421-2613
From: Peter Vronsky
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2014 5:26 PM
To: Nate Thayer
Subject: Re: Investigative Notes
Nate
The important thing is that you talked with Jim at Edmonton PD.
You will do what you feel you need to do, and I have confidence
you are acting on Dave’s behalf as we all are. I am feeding
everything I have to Jim at Edmonton PD. Let’s stop wasting each
other’s time with long e-mails and keep focused on Dave. Not
need to respond to this.
As long as Jim has your data, I have no concern here. That was
the only thing we were asking of you. Run free Nate. Go find
Dave. I hope you will.
From: Peter Vronsky [mailto:info@petervronsky.com]
Sent: March 3, 2014 5:30
To: Jim Gurney
Subject: Fw: Investigative Notes
Importance: High
Jim, Tammy does not know what to do with this guy. He is crazy
enough to find Dave – (he did find Pol Pot) – or he is going to
kill Dave. It will be nothing in between.
He knows the same thing you know about Dave these hours. So his
info from Cambodia is good.
He is asking Tammy [to] send him bank records for Dave – he is very
deeply wired into Cambodia. I told Tammy to advise with you on
what to do if she cannot get to me. For now she told him she is
working on it.
From: Peter Vronsky
Sent: Tuesday, March 04, 2014 10:20 AM
To: Nate Thayer
Subject: Re: Investigative Notes
CONFIDENTIAL
Nate:
I don’t know how reliable this is but I heard from Siem Reap
overnight that Sonny has been taken into protective custody.
You probably know more or better, but thought you should know. I
cannot vouch for reliability of source.
Peter
CONFIDENTIAL
PS: Also got this earlier in the night from same source:
“Have learnt here that fires have been lit under police due to
pressure and that the military police are now very gungho.
They say they were first contacted by the guesthouse, not Sonny.
They also say that the person Sonny says was the last person to
phone Dave before his disappearance is in dire financial
straits.
Lots of police are now involved both locally and internationally
but you probably know that, including Australian Federal Police."
|
It was a week now since I first began dealing with Thayer and
since then my energy, time, and e-mails seemed to be dominated with
trying to manage Thayer's ego in a constructive way, but also finding it
necessary to defend myself and my role in the investigation from his
bizarre attempts to discredit and freeze me out. He
was taking my time away from the most important issue on hand, finding
Dave. Thayer was becoming a bigger obstacle than the
disappearance of Dave! It was extraordinary how crazy things were
becoming since Thayer became involved. And of course, ironically,
Thayer was accusing me of the same thing.
All I can say in the end, in my 'he-said; she said;'
defence, if necessary, my e-mails confirm that throughout this period I
urged our investigation to be professional, and inclusive of Thayer, and
that we pool and share our investigative data. I actually defended
Thayer, because on the outside chance it might be best for Dave if
Thayer continued to be involved. It was all about Dave. Thayer
took the opposite position, that he monopolize the investigation and its
data exclusively. He eliminated one by one, beginning with the
private investigator Peter Slade [see Page 8
] people who he saw as "rivals" and was now working his way through
to eliminating the
Edmonton Police and me as his remaining rivals. Thayer's motives I can
only speculate on. It could have been a pathological paranoia
inherent in his character, it could be a reaction to his corporate rape
by ABC TV on his Pol Pot story [see Page 10],
or it could have been something as simple as Thayer's need to redeem
himself from his obscurity as "Cambodia Man" with an exclusive new story
how he alone solved the mystery of Dave Walker's disappearance. All his
talk of "confidentiality agreements" kept hinting that Thayer was
concerned about Dave's disappearance not being necessarily solved, but
only solved by him exclusively as his news scoop, and he was
going to bind this story with "confidentiality agreements." It was
absurd.
In the meantime, other issues were being dealt with
by Tammy Madon and myself as Cambodian authorities kept moving forward
with their unrolling investigation. Now we were receiving information
that the Cambodian police had taken Sonny into "protective custody" and
that the authorities were now ready to search Dave's room for
evidence--four weeks after his disappearance!
|
Peter Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 6:59pm EST
XXXXX just called me. Police
asking xxxx about
xxxxxxxxxxxxx. And they phoned me
too today about xxxxxxxxxxx. So
something is connected to xxxxxxxx
or to the xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx. x
Peter Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 7:26pm EST
Jim let me know that he talked to Nate finally! It took me 18
hours just to get him to do something that he should have done
right away when asked. So I hope that is now set, and am ready for
whatever comes away next. Unless police are advising you
otherwise, at this moment we should just hush up and let them do
their job. I think Edmonton Police are doing a wonderful job
considering it is not officially an investigation.
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 8:40pm EST
Jim told me he talked to xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
Peter Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 8:52pm EST
Yeah, and XXXXXXX and I talked, we
firmed up better some of those dates by the places we remembered
Dave xxxxxxxxxx. He could have
actually xxxxxxxxxxxx as early as
xxxxxxxxx we both realized.
Peter Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 9:13pm EST
My last e-mail to Nate was thanking him for talking to Jim
Guerney. And all the best from me personally. You deal with him.
But let me know. You know this could be hours or days - hope for
the best but prepare for the worst.
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 9:14pm EST
I know. I have this feeling like we are going to get some sort
of news.
Peter Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 9:17pm EST
What did Jim say was happening?
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 9:19pm EST
He said not to read too much into the Cambodians asking
questions about xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ....He
wanted to know if I knew about any
xxxxxxxxxx . I did not hear back from the bank today on
the transactional records. Possibly tomorrow.
Peter Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 11:22pm EST
Sonny wants you to phone him. You know, you probably
should. Hear what he has to say.
He is only "statistically" a likely suspect. Same time he could
be the friend Dave deserved. There is something providential
about everything we have been doing.
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 11:31pm EST
I'm talking to the cambodian lawyer [Bradley Gordon]
right now. I'm talked out today. And sonny wants to talk now ?.
18 days after the disappearance. Seems odd. I can try to call
him but tomorrow. I spoke to the lawyer. He is going to offer
help in legal matters and put a team together if we need in
Cambodia.
Peter Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 11:35pm EST
This is what I just got from a source in Siem Reap: "Hope
your direction in Edmonton is moving well. Have learnt here that
fires have been lit under police due to pressure and that the
military police are now very gungho. They say they were first
contacted by the guesthouse, not Sonny. They also say that the
person Sonny says was the last person to phone Dave before his
disappearance is in dire financial straits. Lots of police are
now involved both locally and internationally but you probably
know that, including Australian Federal Police."
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 11:40pm EST
Where was this [printed]. Was this an email?
Peter Vronsky
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 11:40pm EST
Yes. A private e-mail. Funny how as soon as I said things felt
providential, that e-mail dings in !!!!
We have been doing everything we can. I feel at rest with that.
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Monday, March 3, 2014 at 11:43pm EST
Me too.
Peter Vronsky
Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 9:44am EST
My guy in Siem Reap says police have taken Sonny into protective
custody. Arrested without charging.
Peter Vronsky
Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 11:18am EST
I am fifty-fifty on Sonny. I keep hoping he is the friend Dave
deserved. If true that guest house and not Sonny reported Dave
missing first, it could only mean that Sonny thought he was
first. He might not have known the guest house reported. BUT
Sonny is the partner, and obviously had most to gain. But how
could SONNY extort money from DAVE and then let him live? Have
no idea why we are being told that police in Cambodian think
Dave is alive. I am trying to keep my source feeding me what he
knows, but its now after 11 PM in Cambodia, they are all going
to bed... Statistically, if I was profiling this,
SONNY is suspect No. 1
Peter Vronsky
Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 1:09pm EST
I shared this info with Nate just in case he had something going
on there. I presume Nate with his contacts in Cambodia know even
more than I do, but just in case I though Nate should know. I
warned him I don't know how reliable this information is. I let
Jim at Edmonton PD know as well.
Nate has not responded. And may not. But at least he knows what
I know here.
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 2:21pm EST
Jim got a call from cambodia asking me to send a letter to
authorize a search of Dave's room.
Peter Vronsky
Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 2:25pm EST
About time!
Outrageous that they need authorization from you... that they
would not do it on all the "probable cause" they already had TWO
DAYS after Dave vanished. But its Cambodia...
My hope is they already searched the room but want your
permission to dot the i's and cross the t's in the future. If
this is a serious investigation that seems to have been ongoing
for days, how could then not have searched the room?
Tammy Wallbridge-Madon
Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 2:35pm EST
Yeah and sonny had full access
Peter Vronsky
Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 3:22pm EST
Yeah. Dave's e-mails at least, no matter what Sonny does, even
if he has access to Dave's e-mail account, will always be stored
for years with the e-mail company, and police can get access.
The hard files on Dave's computer is another story.
The hard files on Dave's computer, if Sonny "deleted" them can
be expertly restored. Unless he took out the entire hard disk
and destroyed it, but that would be pretty damning of him. But
he cannot "alter" the info to mislead. That he would not get
away with.
|
Meeting with CSIS
My meeting with CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) in the
meantime, was a complete washout. It was set up in a public place, a
coffee shop. When I arrived early just before 4:00 PM,, the CSIS
officer was already there sitting comfortably at a table positioned in
the window of the coffee shop. When I sat down at the only
available chair at her table, I found myself facing out into the street
blinded by sunlight streaming through the window while she
was comfortably seated in the shade. After a few seconds, I moved the
chair to another side of the table to get out of the sunlight, turning
my face sideways to the window and the street. I could almost hear the camera
shutters clicking from the van parked across the street from the coffee
shop: first my full face shot as I sat down facing the street:
click-click-click; and then my profile as I moved to the side out of the
bright sunlight: Click-click-click. Nicely done, before I even
realized what was going on. Slick. Our conversation was probably being
recorded as well.
There was no question that Dave was their asset,
perhaps even a paid contractor but "between the lines" I got a sense
that this was very old history. Dave was not recently in contact with
them. CSIS's main concern was their operational security on anything
that Dave Walker had been doing for them. Their primary concern
was whether I had told the press about Dave's links with CSIS. I
had actually considered doing that, because Dave as a Canadian
middle-aged single male missing in Cambodia was not really a high
priority news story for the media. His secret CSIS work on Khmer
Rouge infiltrators could be a hook for the media to pay attention to his
disappearance in Cambodia. Very early in the first week, I had
discussed this question with Richard Ehrlich and he wisely advised that
I not release this information to the media, because if Dave was indeed
being held alive, his connections to an intelligence agency might make
the situation worse for him. I kept the information to myself and
Tammy Madon, who apparently knew about Dave's CSIS work as well or at
least was not surprised by it.
I told CSIS that not knowing whether Dave was being
held captive or not, I had kept that information from the media but that
if I thought it necessary, I would make it public. Asking me not
to, CSIS then asked me an extraordinary thing: that I withhold this
information not only from the media, but also from Canada Foreign
Affairs and from the Edmonton Police Service on the grounds of CSIS
operational security. They assured me that CSIS is working
actively Dave's strange disappearance and that when they had something,
CSIS will get in touch with
both Foreign Affairs and Edmonton Police about it. For the moment, I
complied with their request and withheld Dave's connections to CSIS and
Cambodian refugee issues from Foreign Affairs and the Edmonton Police.
|
