French energy giant spying on Greenpeace?

ÉDF's Paris HQ

By IAN ALLEN | intelNews.org |
Two senior security officials at France’s state-owned electricity service provider are among several people charged by French authorities with spying on Greenpeace. News emerged last Tuesday that the heads of security at Électricité de France (ÉDF), Pierre Durieux and Pierre Francois, have had their offices raided and computers confiscated by French police, who are searching for the culprits of an extensive spying operation against the environmental organization. Three other people have been charged with membership in the spy ring, including Thierry Lorho, director of private investigations firm Kargus Consultant, as well as two unnamed individuals, one of whom is reportedly a “computer expert”. It appears that the five collaborated in efforts to remotely hack into computer servers and networks operated by Greenpeace France. Earlier this week, ÉDF confirmed that “an investigation had been opened for fraudulent intrusion into computer systems” and that its headquarters had been searched by French authorities. Interestingly, however, the company said it was a victim of illicit operations by private detective agency Kargus, which it had contracted to “provide unspecified services”. In other words, ÉDF claims that Kargus’ agents independently decided to spy on Greenpeace without informing the company. The environmental activist group has been involved in a sort of political vendetta with the ÉDF in recent years, while pressuring the energy giant to curtail its extensive network of nuclear energy reactors situated throughout France.