Two suspected Chinese spies, accused of using a sleepy village in south-western France to gather information, have been arrested. Residents of Camblanes-et-Meynac, about 15 miles (9 km) from Bordeaux, grew suspicious when, after renting a house via Airbnb, the Chinese pair erected a large parabolic antenna in the garden. The dish was directed at the sky and locals noticed that its installation coincided with a spate of cuts to their own internet service.
Intelligence experts believe south-western France is being increasingly targeted by Chinese and other espionage actors due to its proximity to defence, aerospace, and telecommunication sites. Last Saturday, officers from France's General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) raided the house and seized a considerable amount of computer equipment. The men, questioned at DGSI headquarters near Paris, face charges related to delivering information likely to harm France's interests.
According to the prosecutor's office, the accused arrived in France under work visas as engineers at a wireless communications company. They are believed to have tried to capture data from Elon Musk's Starlink satellite network, targeting both military and vital entities to send information back to China.
The situation is not isolated; other similar cases have occurred in south-western France in recent months, reflecting an increasing strategy of espionage. Experts note the historical significance of the region for French defense research, leading to greater scrutiny of any suspicious activities linked to potential espionage.
Intelligence experts believe south-western France is being increasingly targeted by Chinese and other espionage actors due to its proximity to defence, aerospace, and telecommunication sites. Last Saturday, officers from France's General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) raided the house and seized a considerable amount of computer equipment. The men, questioned at DGSI headquarters near Paris, face charges related to delivering information likely to harm France's interests.
According to the prosecutor's office, the accused arrived in France under work visas as engineers at a wireless communications company. They are believed to have tried to capture data from Elon Musk's Starlink satellite network, targeting both military and vital entities to send information back to China.
The situation is not isolated; other similar cases have occurred in south-western France in recent months, reflecting an increasing strategy of espionage. Experts note the historical significance of the region for French defense research, leading to greater scrutiny of any suspicious activities linked to potential espionage.
