Lies and scandal: How two rogue scientists at a secret lab triggered a national security calamity

The release earlier this week of hundreds of documents has pulled the curtain back on an explosive national security case that led to the firing of two scientists from the Winnipeg-based National Microbiology Lab.Xiangguo Qiu wears a biocontainment suit while working in the containment lab at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg. Qiu, her biologist husband Keding Cheng, and her students were escorted out of the NML in July 2019. Qiu and Cheng were fired in January 2021.

Their interviews pointed to some lax security practices at the National Microbiology Lab. For example, in May 2018 a package from China labelled "kitchen utensils" arrived at the lab addressed to Cheng. An X-ray showed it contained vials containing a substance that was later found to be mouse protein. Cheng told investigators he didn't know it was coming and it wasn't infectious.

The documents show the service's initial assessment of the couple in April 2020 gave them the benefit of the doubt.The Canadian Security Intelligence Service said Dr. Qiu provided Beijing "with the Ebola genetic sequence, which opened a door of convenience for China." Qiu provided Beijing "with the Ebola genetic sequence, which opened a door of convenience for China," CSIS wrote.

When confronted with her ties to China "Ms. Qiu continued to make blanket denials, feign ignorance or tell outright lies," said the June 2020 CSIS assessment. "The service assesses that Ms. Qiu developed deep, cooperative relationships with a variety of People's Republic of China institutions and has intentionally transferred scientific knowledge and materials to China in order to benefit the PRC Government, and herself, without regard for the implications to her employer or to Canada's interests," CSIS wrote.

"The allegation that China tried to steal the secrets of Canada is entirely groundless," said an embassy statement. "We firmly oppose this."After opposition parties spent years demanding access to government documents about the case, the federal government released hundreds of redacted pages on Wednesday.

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