The Spy Novelist Who Knows Too Much (2013) | Hacker News Reader

The Spy Novelist Who Knows Too Much (2013)

nytimes.com

37 pointssergeant35 comments

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-...

"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."

And a few months after this was published... he died.

That might have been related to the fact that he was 83. b^)

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.

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

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

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