A recent French investigation has shed light on an alleged secret network connected to Algerian intelligence operating in France. According to a report by the French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD), this network is suspected of monitoring opponents of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and influencing the French-Algerian community. The investigation, which drew on testimonies from nearly 100 ministers, diplomats, and intelligence officials, linked this network to the case of Amir Boukhriss, a prominent Algerian influencer and opposition figure who was kidnapped and detained in the Île-de-France region in April 2024.
The JDD report described this network as a "shadow army" that relies on individuals within the Algerian community in France to carry out surveillance and recruitment activities. The investigation also revealed that one of the suspects arrested in connection with the attempted kidnapping of Amir Boukhriss was an employee of the Algerian consulate in Créteil. Furthermore, the report mentioned the existence of a so-called "Security Office" allegedly operating within the Algerian embassy in Paris, which coordinates the activities of elements affiliated with the 20 Algerian consulates in France.
According to the JDD, each consulate manages a network of informants recruited within the French-Algerian community. The alleged tasks of this network include exerting pressure on Algerian political opponents residing in Europe, as well as preparing operations ranging from threats and kidnappings to assassination plots. The report also noted that these elements received training based on methods inspired by the Russian school of intelligence.
The investigation linked these alleged activities to the Algerian authorities' desire to monitor their opponents living abroad, citing statements attributed to President Tebboune, who threatened his opponents, including those in exile in Europe. The JDD report also highlighted that the French judiciary had adopted the designation of "state terrorism" in three files related to Algeria in 2026, placing Algeria in a similar judicial category to Iran and Russia.
The investigation further suggested that the alleged Algerian system for monitoring and influencing the diaspora extends beyond France, with activities reportedly taking place in Belgium, Britain, Spain, and other European countries. The report cited memoranda allegedly issued by European agencies as evidence of the scope of this network.
The alleged secret network has raised concerns about the activities of foreign intelligence services operating in France and their potential impact on the country's internal security. The French government has not publicly commented on the investigation or the alleged activities of the Algerian network.
The case has also sparked debate about the need for greater transparency and oversight of foreign intelligence activities in France and other European countries. Key aspects of the investigation are ongoing, with further developments expected in the coming weeks.
Key points
- - An alleged secret network connected to Algerian intelligence was operating in France. - The network was suspected of monitoring opponents of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. - The investigation revealed links to cases of kidnapping and attempted kidnapping of Algerian opposition figures in France and other European countries.
