the MP’s taunts on the “James Bond among the chtis” operation

POLITICS – On the one hand, a former intelligence boss who exonerates himself and minimizes. On the other, a deputy and former journalist who denounces the « disproportion » of a “generalized surveillance”, with small spikes on purpose. François Ruffin and Bernard Squarcini took the stand on Friday, November 22, at the Paris court.

In this case, on trial since November 13, the former head of the Central Directorate of Internal Intelligence (DCRI, now DGSI) Bernard Squarcini is notably suspected (along with others) of having set up an elaborate system of surveillance of François Ruffin, then a journalist, and members of the team of his newspaper, Fakiron behalf of the luxury giant LVMH. This, at the time of filming of the film Thanks, boss! (a documentary on the concrete consequences of the practices of France’s first fortune), between 2013 and 2016.

According to the various accounts of the journalists present at the hearing, François Ruffin, civil party in this trial, was ironic and biting, detailing the surveillance and traps set against him by LVMH, between SMS from unknown numbers, « trombinoscopes »information about his private life.

Ruffin, the “merry guys” under surveillance

“There is a choice that was made by me and Fakir, it is that of non-violence”explained the deputy elected in 2017 in the introduction: “The only weapon I have ever used is my words, those of the workers, the employees and humor”. According to the investigation file, the defendants spoke of Fakirnewspaper founded in 1999, as a « farce »he noted.

According to François Ruffin, it was from the LVMH general meeting in April 2013, where the small group he formed with others to challenge Bernard Arnault was sidelined, that he sensed a problem. And then, while the team is in the middle of filming Thanks Boss! (a film crowned with the César for best documentary), “it becomes James Bond among the Ch’tis”he quipped.

“I wonder about the mechanism that takes us from ‘merry guys’ to this disproportion: three economic intelligence agencies, 2 million euros (the total estimated cost of surveillance), infiltration, of the invasion of privacy…” he further detailed. Before launching, according to the account of Marianne : « concerning them, in the word “intelligence”, there is an abuse of language. »

The deputy (various left) for the Somme also took advantage of his time at the bar to scratch Bernard Arnault, who will be heard as a witness next Thursday. This file is “the funniest piece of a much darker puzzle”the one from “Repeat of Bernard Arnault’s actions against the press”affirmed François Ruffin, deeming his absence on the dock “scandalous”. LVMH actually signed a Judicial Agreement of Public Interest (CJIP) to exit the case.

Squarcini appears for 11 offenses

Facing François Ruffin, who clearly saw himself becoming the “ Left Hanouna »in his ironic words, after the success of Thanks Boss! Bernard Squarcini, for his part, endeavored to minimize the extent of the surveillance put in place at the time. Despite repeated questions from the court, the former intelligence boss, for example, maintained, like the other defendants, that there was no“infiltrated” at Fakir’s. Neither a first man quickly dismissed by the newspaper team, nor a woman who then presented herself as a photographer and who transmitted information, photos or contact details, of members of the association.

The “Ruffin” flap is only part of this drawer affair. The former central director of internal intelligence appears until November 29 for 11 offenses ranging from passive influence peddling to misappropriation of public funds, including compromising national defense secrets, forgery of public documents and even complicity in violation of professional secrecy.

The one who is nicknamed “the Squale” is suspected of having used his connections within intelligence and the police to obtain information on behalf of private interests. And therefore in particular for the boss of the luxury group LVMH, Bernard Arnault.