Brazilian Intelligence Monitored French Agents in Maranhão

11/05/2013 - 08h48

Following an accident at the Alcântara satellite launch pad in 2003, in the state of Maranhão, Brazilian intelligence services investigated the possibility that the incident may have occurred as the result of sabotage by French secret service agents.

Brazilian Agency Spied on Foreign Diplomats

The accident killed 21 people, including engineers and technicians from the General Command of Aerospace Technology, a division of the Brazilian Air Force.

According to documents obtained by Folha from the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN, in its Portuguese acronym), there were at least three counter-espionage operations aimed at French agents and their contacts in Brazil.

Intelligence agencies also monitored cultural institutions linked to the French Embassy. The aim was to protect Brazilian space programs against international espionage.

Folha also revealed yesterday that the Brazilian government monitored diplomats from several countries, including Russia, Iran and the United States. The government stated that the operations were counter-espionage in nature.

In spite of the evidence of French spying, intelligence agencies were not able to prove that the accident occurred as a result of sabotage. Officially, the explosion occurred due to a power outage which caused the ignition of a rocket propeller.

The location of the Alcântara base is considered one of the best in the world for the launch of rockets with commercial satellites, owing to its proximity to the equator. It is currently under reconstruction, but when completed, it will be the only rival to the Kourou Space Centre, in French Guiana.

The documents obtained by Folha suggest that Brazilian intelligence has monitored French activity in Alcântara since at least 2002. Speaking anonymously, one official revealed that one of the targets was a French agent of the DGSE (France's external intelligence agency).

Known only as Olivier, the agent operated in the region disguised as a kitesurfing instructor, whilst recruiting informants at the Alcântara base. Photographs were taken of the agent and his contacts.

By 2003, at least eight reports had been produced by Brazilian intelligence on the case.

Nobody at the French Embassy was available for comment.

Translated by TOM GATEHOUSE

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