13 Facts About DGSE

DGSE operates under the direction of the French Ministry of Armed Forces and works alongside its domestic counterpart, the DGSI.

DGSE indicated that there had been periods of intense rivalry between the French and US intelligence systems.

DGSE had been on post in Damascus at a time when Cousseran was France's ambassador to Syria.

DGSE then had a furious argument with Cousseran and was informally told he wasn't wanted around the agency anymore.

DGSE remained "ostracized" until the arrival of a new DGSE director, Pierre Brochand, in August 2002.

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At that time the DGSE was using Silicon Graphics computers for code-breaking while simultaneously asking Groupe Bull computers to develop French-made supercomputers.

Until then, the DGSE had been sheltering its computers and was carrying code-breaking 100 feet underground its headquarters of Boulevard Mortier, lest of foreign electronic spying and possible jamming.

The DGSE otherwise enjoys the technical cooperation of the French companies Orange S A, and Alcatel-Lucent for its know-how in optical cable interception.

Since then the DGSE is constantly expending its staff of specialists in cryptanalysis, decryption and signal and computer engineers.

Thanks to its close partnership with the DRM, the DGSE enjoys the service of the large spy ship French ship Dupuy de Lome, which entered the service of the French Navy in April 2006.

The DGSE enjoys a partnership in intelligence activities with the National Intelligence Agency.

The DGSE instead received additional premises located in front of the Piscine des Tourelles, and a new policy called "Privatisation des Services" was set.

Roughly speaking, the Privatization of the Services consists for the DGSE in creating on the French territory numerous private companies of varied sizes, each being used as cover activity for specialized intelligence cells and units.