French probe into allegations that energy giant EDF spied on Greenpeace takes new turn, with Europe-wide implications
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/apr/17/edf-greenpeace-environment"A French investigation into allegations that France's state energy giant EDF spied on Greenpeace has taken a new turn after a suggestion in court documents that the company may have monitored environmentalists across Europe, including Britain.
EDF, the world's biggest nuclear-reactor operator, owns the main UK nuclear power company British Energy, and is a major sponsor of the London Olympics.
Last month judges opened an investigation into allegations that state-owned EDF hired a private detective agency run by a former member of the French secret services to illegally spy on environmentalists and infiltrate their ranks.
Last week, in front of the investigating judge, the head of Kargus Consultants confirmed his involvement in hacking into Greenpeace computer systems and said a senior EDF official knew about the operation.
A computer expert from the detective agency admitted hacking into Greenpeace computer systems. The scandal sparked outrage among anti-nuclear campaigners in France, where the state has a troubled history with activists. Twenty-four years ago, the French secret service bombed the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior.
French news website Mediapart, which has seen documents from the investigation, this week published extracts of the testimony by an EDF security executive and former police commander who is under investigation for conspiring to conduct illegal surveillance.
He denied ordering private detectives to use illegal means, saying the private investigators had been asked to monitor environmentalists' work and activities.
Asked about a CD-rom of information from detectives that was found in his office safe, he said it contained information about environmental group structures and summaries of meetings.
"It was a question of the [Greenpeace] non-governmental group's organisation in Belgium, Spain, perhaps Britain, let's say Europe," he added.
John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK, told the Guardian: "This case appears to be much more extreme in nature than we thought and raises serious questions."
Today Sauven wrote to EDF Energy's chief executive, Vincent de Rivaz, asking for immediate disclosure of any knowledge or evidence of "monitoring, illegal or otherwise" of Greenpeace staff members in Britain and worldwide.
Sauvan wrote: "What alarms me most is the evidence cited in official investigation files alleging that EDF was also seeking intelligence on Greenpeace activities in the United Kingdom, Belgium and Spain."
Greenpeace, which is opposed to building new nuclear reactors in the UK, previously wrote to EDF on 1 April asking for assurances that spying tactics had not been used against its staff.
De Rivaz wrote back on 9 April that EDF was co-operating with the legal investigation. "EDF of course strongly condemns any methods which attempt to fraudulently enter IT systems," he added. But Greenpeace said the letter failed to answer the question of whether UK staff had been targeted.
The French scandal has intensified in recent days. Last week, two senior EDF officials involved in the judges' investigation were suspended in what the company said was a "precautionary measure following an internal inquiry". Mediapart reported this week that EDF had two contracts with the private detective firm Kargus in 2004 and 2007.
EDF Energy's London office declined to comment, referring all inquiries to the Paris headquarters. A French spokeswoman said EDF would not comment on the claims that Greenpeace had been monitored across Europe.
The two EDF senior executives have maintained their innocence. In a statement last week, EDF said it "wholeheartedly condemns any method aimed at obtaining information illegally". The company has lodged a civil action for damages saying it was a "victim" of the detective firm Kargus"
