THE MAN FROM TRIPOLI - The Untold Account of a DGSE Station Chief

Tripoli (Libya), mid-February 2011. From the first signs of unrest in the country, the French authorities, against all expectations, decide to evacuate their nationals and close the diplomatic mission. Within it, the DGSE's external intelligence station ceases its activities and begins destroying its equipment and archives before the keys to the embassy are handed over… to the Russians!

The author, a case officer (OT) and head of the Tripoli station, recounts his Libyan experience, which began under Colonel Gaddafi's regime. After describing his evacuation, he relates his return to the field following French air strikes in March 2011. His ambition — not necessarily shared by his superiors — is to make contact with the insurgency forces in order to assess their organisation and their capacity to overthrow the regime.

The author draws on this unique experience to illustrate the role and place of the DGSE in France's foreign policy. Far from the clichés and with an unsparing eye, he shares his passion for covert action, where the recruitment and handling of clandestine human sources sometimes collide with internal rivalries within the Service, complicating his mission.

This exceptional document, whose title is inspired by Erwan Bergot's work L'homme de Prague, is the first testimony that genuinely describes the missions of a secret agent in the field — a far cry from what is portrayed on screen.

Essential reading for a better understanding of the inner workings of an intelligence service and the hidden dynamics at play in Libya.