

The Spy Novelist Who Knows Too Much (2013) - sergeant3
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/magazine/gerard-de-villiers-the-spy-novelist-who-knows-too-much.html

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jgrahamc
And a few months after this was published... he died. An article published in
Le Monde says that de Villiers worked directly for the SDECE in France
spreading 'disinformation' through his books.

[http://www.lemonde.fr/le-
magazine/article/2013/08/16/gerard-...](http://www.lemonde.fr/le-
magazine/article/2013/08/16/gerard-de-villiers-itineraire-d-un-
reac_3461400_1616923.html)

"Sauf qu'il y a les souvenirs de Michel Roussin, ancien directeur de cabinet
d'Alexandre de Marenches, l'homme qui régna sur le SDECE (ex-DGSE) entre 1977
et 1981. Il les livre pour la première fois, à M Le magazine du Monde :
"Villiers était au service Action [la partie opérationnelle des services
secrets], confie l'ancien préfet et ministre chiraquien. Je me souviens que
c'est le colonel Gaigneron de Marolles – on disait 'Alain' – qui l'avait
présenté à Marenches. L'officier traitant de Villiers était le colonel de
Lignières, adjoint au service Action. Le SDECE utilisait SAS pour faire de la
désinformation, c'était la mode à l'époque. Par lui, on faisait passer des
messages. Marenches raffolait de ça." Voilà pour l'un des secrets les mieux
gardés de la République... "Villiers n'était pas dupe. Il ne cramait jamais
ses sources. Il sait que c'est donnant-donnant, poursuit Roussin. C'est un
malin – tout sauf un naïf."

My translation:

"Except that there are the memories of Michel Roussin, former chief of staff
of Alexander Marenches, the man who ruled the SDECE (former DGSE) between 1977
and 1981. He speaks of them for the first time, to M Le Monde magazine:
"Villiers was in the Action service [the operational part of the secret
service], says the former prefect and Minister under Chirac. I remember that
it was the Colonel Gaigneron de Marolles - we called him 'Alain'\- who had
introduced him to Marenches. The officer dealing with de Villiers was Colonel
de Lignières, Deputy Action Service. The SDECEE used SAS for disinformation,
as was the fashion at the time. Through him we did send messages. Marenches
was crazy about that. That's one of the best kept of the Republic ...
"Villiers was not fooled. He never burnt his sources. He knows it's you
scratch my back, I'll scratch yours", continued Roussin, "He was a cunning
person - anything but naive."

~~~
neurotech1
I don't think anyone believes that the "Zero Dark Thirty" research briefings
from the CIA were not planned and authorized at the highest levels.

Its well known that famous US novelists and Hollywood writers get access to
CIA, NSA, DoD officials as part of their research. "Worked for" a spy agency,
and researched with a spy agency are two different things. If the CIA/NSA/DoD
wanted to sense reaction to a new weapon system or covert campaign, put it in
a movie first. There were references in movies of stealth aircraft when the
B-2 and F-117 were still classified. Even more fictitious shows like 24
probably received technical assistance from the CIA.

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briandear
Interesting that the author dismissed Le Carre considering that he actually
worked in British Intelligence.

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api
What a brilliant bit of book marketing! How much did this cost? :)

