French ‘agent’ claims betrayal

Press, 12 September 1987, Page 3

French ‘agent’ claims betrayal

NZPA-AFP Paris A French diver who says he was part of the secret service team that sank the Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior in Auckland Harbour in July, 1985, has spoken out against his “betrayal” by Ministers.

The man, shown in silhouette and with his voice disguised on the Stateowned Antenne-2 television channel, said he was a member of the D.G.S.E. secret service diving team based at Aspretto, Corsica, which took the mission to sink the Rainbow Warrior.

The ship belonged to Greenpeace, which was about to use it to monitor French nuclear-weapon tests in the South Pacific.

The man criticised the Ministers of the Socialist Government in power at the time for closing the Aspretto centre after the mission, and denounced their “betrayals and... lies, and the leaks they let slip to the press.” He did not give any proof of his identity. Charles Hemu, the Socialist Defence Minister of the day who was forced to resign after the affair, said after the broadcast that to "discuss secret service matters in public is not permissible.” “We are talking about soldiers who risk their lives for France. Anyone who uses such methods for political ends is acting against the interests of France,” he said.