The Toronto Star is running a story about the recent biker raids in Canada, and mentions a blogger leaking a warrant from the Ontario Superior Court.

Leaked on the Internet was a judge’s order allowing federal authorities to seize the Hells Angels’ fortified clubhouse on Eastern Ave. in Toronto, which was home to the largest Hells Angels chapter in Canada.

The leaked document has been taken offline.

The author of the website describes himself as a researcher from Toronto and uses the name drmmfam. The site contains information about Canadian biker gangs - the URL is torontofokus, The DNS traces to LUNARPAGES.COM, a hosting service out of California.

For a full day after the raids began at 6 a.m. Thursday across southern Ontario, New Brunswick and Vancouver, police said they couldn’t release much information because they wanted to ensure officers’ safety.

The 18-month operation, called Project Develop, involved some 400 officers and relied on information from a Hells Angels’ member who had become a police agent. His identity has not been released and he’s now under police protection.

Secrecy is essential in organized crime investigations to protect officers and informers, Nicaso said.

“That’s bizarre,” Nicaso said of the Internet leak. “The whole operation depends on secrecy.”

The Internet postings included a PDF file (a digital copy) of the judge’s secret order, which transferred control of the Eastern Ave. clubhouse and a house in east Toronto and another in Barrie from the Hells Angels to the federal government. The Eastern Ave. clubhouse was home to the downtown Toronto chapter, which has three dozen full members.

The ruling stated the bikers would learn they’d lost their properties only when served with search warrants. “A copy of this order shall be served on the following parties but shall only be served upon the execution of search warrants at the properties whenever that may be.”

The background and context of the leaked document is in the Toronto Star article.

Despite police comments that they needed extreme secrecy to protect officers, hints of the upcoming raids and a digital file of a court order allowing authorities to secretly seize the Eastern Ave. clubhouse were posted on at least five Internet sites, including one for true crime aficionados, on March 25. The Web postings were still available yesterday. “It could be a mistake or it could be something that was done with malice,” said Nicaso, adding it would be unfair to conclude the bikers have a mole in policing or the courts. “I think they have to investigate because things like that are not normal. I think it deserves a full investigation.”

Steve Skurka, a Toronto lawyer who defended two Woodbridge Hells Angels in a previous trial, said he’s never heard of anything like this. “Certainly it’s unprecedented. … Search warrants are supposed to be conducted by surprise.”

Skurka said he expects the leak to be “highly significant” for both the defence and the police.

Asked how the defence might view the leak, he said “it raises questions about the order.”

The site/blog mentioned in the Toronto Star article is titled The Hells Angels Motorcycle Clubhouse Toronto Canada - 498 Eastern Ave.

A Niagra Police constable has been charged. A Niagra police spokesperson says ” “It is not related directly to this project.”

A Niagara police officer has been ordered to stay away from the Hells Angels and anybody associated with organized crime while he awaits trial on allegations he leaked secret documents to unauthorized parties.

Const. Frank Rudge, 43, must also surrender all his police gear, including his service pistol, to Niagara regional police pending the outcome of the case.

He was released from custody Thursday on a $30,000 surety after appearing for a bail hearing in St. Catharines.

Rudge had spent the night in jail after being arrested at the Port Colborne police station when he reported for work Wednesday morning.

He was charged with breach of trust by a public official, an indictable offence under the Criminal Code that carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail.

T.O. Crime blog weighs in.