Three journalists who carried out an investigation in 2018 into suspicions of influence peddling in the French army were summoned to the DGSI on Wednesday December 14 for suspicions of breaching national defense secrets, Agence France learned. Press (AFP), Wednesday, December 7, from sources familiar with the matter.
Benoît Collombat and Geoffrey Livolsi, authors of the survey “Air transport: suspicions of influence peddling in the army”, are summoned to a free hearing in the company of Jacques Monin, director of inquiries and investigation at Radio France. The survey was broadcast on the program “Secrets d’info” on France Inter and on the Internet.
According to one of these sources, the three journalists are summoned on December 14 at 10 a.m. because they are “suspected of having committed or attempted to commit the offense of revealing or disclosing information allowing the identification of a member of a special forces unit”.
According to another of these sources, the summons comes after a complaint with a civil action filed by a former member of the special forces whose name was mentioned in their article. In this case, the opening of a judicial investigation is almost automatic.
PNF investigation into suspicions in the army
Their investigation revealed that “The National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) is investigating suspicions of favoritism and influence peddling within the French army. At the heart of its investigations: air transport subcontracting contracts”, which would have given rise to a search at the general staff. She mentioned in particular the name of an official of the Special Operations Command (COS) presented as being “in the crosshairs of justice”, without it being known at this stage whether this lieutenant-colonel is indeed the plaintiff. Asked to know if the main investigation was still in progress, the PNF had not replied on Wednesday afternoon.
“It is not for us to comment on an ongoing judicial investigationreacted Wednesday the ministry of the armies. The identity of soldiers belonging to certain units is protected by law, (…) revealing their identity constitutes a criminal offense and jeopardizes operations for the benefit of the safety of our fellow citizens. »
Journalist Geoffrey Livolsi claimed that “These summons are a new attempt to intimidate journalists investigating the army. “Is it still possible to investigate this subject without being worried by the intelligence services? As a reminder, our media Disclose »which he co-founded in 2018, “has also been the subject of an investigation for a year for violation of national defense secrecy”, he recalled. Benoît Collombat and Jacques Monin did not wish to speak publicly.