A former soldier from the General Directorate of External Security (DGSE), who published a book in May under a pseudonym on his past activities, was indicted on Friday for breaching national defense secrecy, Agence France learned -Press Tuesday September 19, from a source close to the case and from his lawyer.
The former spy was arrested on September 12 by police officers from the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI), the same source said, confirming information from Le Canard chainé.
His counsel, Me Emmanuel Ludot, confirmed this indictment, pronounced on Friday September 15. “The DGSE has whistled the end of the game on this habit that almost all ex-spies have of recounting their past activity to supplement their income,” commented the lawyer. He intends to “contest the indictment because [his] client presented the DGSE in a favorable light, talks about very old facts, but also because there is a judge side and part of the DGSI which is investigating a former agent of the DGSE in a procedure triggered by it while the two houses have strong links”.
Details on the hunt for Peter Cherif
In his memoirs (Spy. 44 years at the DGSE, Talent Editions) “Richard Volange”, a pseudonym, tells the story of his life as an agent in the field, particularly in Africa. In particular, he recounts the hunt to Djibouti for Peter Cherif, a veteran of the French jihad and suspected, among other things, of having played a role with Chérif Kouachi, the attacker of Charlie Hebdo in 2015 in Paris.
According to Le Canard chainé, it is the details provided on this hunt and the capture of the jihadist in 2018 that the justice system blames. Me Ludot simply confirmed that his client was accused of “the content of his book”.
Still according to the satirical weekly, his judicial control notably prohibits him from entering into contact with Jean-François Lhuillier, also retired from the DGSE and author of a book on his experience within the “Service”.
In L’Homme de Tripoli (Mareuil Editions), published in June, this former lieutenant-colonel recounts his time as head of post in Libya from 2009 to 2012, and in particular the fall of the country’s former master, Muammar Gaddafi.