Outrage over US spying in France

But Hollande’s shock largely feigned, say experts

DESPITE the furious protests of France over the latest US spying claims, experts say that in the intelligence game there are no friends or enemies – only interests, and all means are justified to pursue them.

France’s President Francois Hollande expressed outrage yesterday at the “unacceptable” news that the US spied on him and his two immediate predecessors.

In a telephone call yesterday, US President Barack Obama gave fresh assurances that the practice had ended, Paris said.

“President Obama reiterated without ambiguity his firm commitment . . . to stop these practices that took place in the past and which were unacceptable between allies,” the presidency said.

However, much of Hollande’s shock is feigned, experts say.

“It’s blindingly obvious,” the former intelligence chief at France’s DGSE spy agency, Alain Chouet, said. “Everyone knows the NSA [US National Security Agency] has developed a system of acquiring data from the entire world since 2003.”

Unconfirmed reports dating back a couple of years say the US has built listening posts on the roof of its embassy in the heart of Paris.

“The intelligence services estimate the system has been operational for about four years. Since it is not intrusive and is on American territory, France can’t say much,” a security source said on condition of anonymity.

The huge trove of documents released by NSA contractor Edward Snowden in 2013 has shown the world the extent of US spying capabilities.

They were originally developed to fight terrorism but Chouet said proved useful for all sorts of other things.

“The tool works, and it works even better when you target people who are not careful about how they use their telephones,” he said, referring to Hollande’s reported habit of using his personal cellphone for important calls.

The security source alleged French officials were often lazy about covering their tracks.

“. . . it’s a bit rich to act all shocked when we don’t take necessary measures to protect ourselves.”

Nor is France any stranger to espionage itself. Reports emerged in the early 1990s that it had spied on US tech firms.

“When it comes to intelligence there are no friends, no allies. There are only interests,” Chouet said.

Evidence suggests France plays the game just like other major powers, especially when it comes to commercial espionage. A 2009 US diplomatic cable, published by WikiLeaks, revealed a top German satellite company’s chief executive had quit in frustration at the constant theft of secrets by the French.

The only rule in the game, Chouet said, was do not get caught.

The head of the French Centre for Research and Intelligence, Eric Denece, said it did not require WikiLeaks and Snowden to learn that France was an important target for US eavesdroppers.

“The Americans listened to De Gaulle, and imagine the wiretaps they must have put in place when [former president] Francois Mitterrand came to power with four communist ministers in his government. These wiretaps on the last three presidents are making some noise now, but it’s nothing new,” he said. – AFP