ocuments obtained under theUK’s Freedom of InformationAct reveal French intelligenceofficers, supported by officialsin Paris, conjured up a covertmedia disinformation campaignthat would divert attention andsuspicion away from France’s

involvement with the sinking of Greenpeacevessel, the Rainbow Warrior in 1985. Thescam was discovered by MI6, but unable tocomment publicly, an “infuriated” PrimeMinister Margaret Thatcher ordered Whitehallofficials to force Paris to shut down the DGSEoperation.

Eye Spy has learned that the plan wasdevised months prior to the sinking ofRainbow Warrior, after DGSE (DirectionGenerale de la Securite Exterieure) officerswho had infiltrated Greenpeace, also discov-ered an MI6 agent amongst its ranks. Accord-

ing to intelligence sources, MI6 had used afront company to obtain information on themovements of Rainbow Warrior and its“protest agenda.”

Rainbow Warrior had been despatched toNew Zealand in July 1985 to monitor contro-versial French nuclear tests near Moruroa.When the ship arrived, DGSE operatives werewaiting in Auckland armed with explosives andorders to sink the ship. The plan was dulycarried out and the Rainbow Warrior wascrippled. Greenpeace photographer FernandoPereira was killed in the blast.

New Zealand police quickly demanded thearrest of several people, unbeknown at thetime, all of them were connected to the DGSE.

Some intelligence officers, includingChristine Cabon, a former French Army officer,had already left the country. She had

E Y E S P Y I S S U E 3 8 , 2 0 0 6

Frenchintelligence

placedblame forsinking ofRainbow

Warrior onMI6

MI6 and DGSESpy Games

D

Fernando Dopereira - killed in the attack

' GREENPEACE