A French court has sentenced to jail two former agents from the foreign intelligence service after convicting them of sharing secrets with China.

Following a trial in Paris conducted in the utmost secrecy, the former officers with France's Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE) were convicted Friday of "sharing intelligence" with a foreign power.

Pierre-Marie H., 69, was handed a 12-year jail sentence while Henri M., 73, was given an eight-year term.

Pierre-Marie H.'s wife was convicted of concealment and sentenced to four years, with two suspended.

Both men, now retired, were charged and detained in December 2017, although they were allowed out on bail.

In 1997, Henri M. was appointed the DGSE's man in Beijing, where he was the second secretary at the embassy. He was recalled in 1998 after having an affair with the ambassador's Chinese interpreter.

He retired a few years later and returned to China in 2003, where he married the former interpreter, setting up a home on Hainan island in southern China.

Pierre-Marie H., who had never been posted abroad, was arrested at Zurich airport carrying cash after meeting a Chinese contact on an Indian Ocean island, according to media reports.

The DGSE has has seen a surge of interest in its work thanks to the hugely popular TV drama "Le Bureau des Legendes" (known as "Le Bureau" outside France).

The series contains some characters working for the DGSE who it turns out are sharing secrets with foreign powers.

Related Links
China News from SinoDaily.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

China opens Hong Kong headquarters for its secret police
Hong Kong (AFP) July 8, 2020
China opened a new office on Wednesday for its intelligence agents to operate openly in Hong Kong for the first time under a tough new security law, in a public display of its tightening control over the finance hub. The new base is located in a rapidly converted hotel overlooking the city's Victoria Park, a location that has hosted pro-democracy protests for years, including an annual vigil marking Beijing's deadly Tiananmen crackdown. A plaque bearing the security agency's name was unveiled ea ... read more