French intelligence warns lawmakers of Russian infiltration in political network

By Umit Donmez

PARIS (AA) – The French intelligence director has warned the lawmakers of Russian infiltration into the French political network.

Nicolas Lerner, head of General Directorate for Internal Security, was heard by the Parliamentary Investigation Commission about foreign countries' interference on Feb. 2. The contents of the audience were revealed Thursday.

Lerner said French intelligence services have observed, since he came into office in 2018, that Russian intelligence agents have been aiming at the French political network, including lawmakers.

"Some have had relations that the French law does not permit," Lerner also said.

French intelligence services in recent months had to "raise awareness" in 6,500 cases in the parliament, the Senate, and also in universities, after having "detected contacts," particularly between French lawmakers and Russian agents "under diplomatic cover."

Lerner also noted that a French politician was suspected of being financed by Russia.

The Russian services are the most crowded and most active ones in France among foreign services with "several dozens of agents," Lerner explained, adding that their number diminished tangibly, nevertheless, since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis in 2014.

The French-Russian Dialogue Association is also facing two judiciary probes from the Paris prosecutor's office for corruption and influence peddling.

"We regularly contact the lawmakers, either on their demand or on our initiative, and we raise awareness, and let them know who they are dealing with – and then, they are free to pursue their relations or not, unless they fall under the law," Lerner explained.

* Writing by Nur Asena Erturk in Ankara