Bernard Squarcini

Bernard Squarcini was born on the 12th of December 1955 in Rabat, Morocco. He is a high official of the French government, and has previously assumed the positions of Police Commissioner and prefect.

Bernard Squarcini was head of the French Direction Centrale du Renseignement Intérieur (English: General Directorate for Internal Security) from July 2 2008 to May 30th 2012. He was in charge of the counterterrorist intelligence in Corsica, Basque Country and against radical Islam. In 2012 he created his company Kyrnos Conseil where he acts as an independant consultant.^[1]

Biography

Education

Bernard Squarcini holds a Masters in Law and a diploma in criminology. He has been the youngest Inspector General of Police.^[2]

Early Years

In 1983, he is aid to the Regional Director of the General Intelligence in Corsica.

In 1988, he is the General Intelligence Departmental Director for the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region.

In 1989, he is head of the investigations and research division of the Direction centrale des renseignements généraux (DCRG; English: Central Directorate of General Intelligence). In 1993, he is appointed deputy director of Research at the DCRG whilst also holding the position of Deputy Central Director of the General Intelligence in 1994 under the management of Yves Bertrand.^[3]

Arrest of Yvan Colonna

During Nicolas Sarkozy’s time as Minister of Internal Affairs, Bernard Squarcini was instrumental in the 2003 arrest of Yvan Colonna, the alleged murderer of prefect Claude Érignac.

In February 2004 he is appointed deputy prefect for security and defence in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. He succeeds Roger Marion who got appointed deputy prefect for security and defence in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region.

Intelligence and counterterrorism

On the 27th of June 2007, the Council of Ministers appoints Bernard Squarcini head of the Direction de la surveillance du territoire (DST; English: Directorate of Territorial Surveillance) in replacement of Pierre de Bousquet de Florian.^[4]

On July 1 2008 the DST and the DCRG merged together, becoming the Direction Centrale du Renseignement Intérieur (DCRI; English: General Directorate for Internal Security). Bernard Squarcini assumed leadership of the newly created entity on July 2, 2008.^[5]

On May 30 2012 he is replaced by his former deputy, Patrick Calvar, and becomes prefect.^[6]

He leaves the police force on the 28th of February 2013 and sets up his company Kyrnos Conseil. In June 2013 he also becomes consultant for Arcanum, an economic intelligence consultancy firm.

In November 2013, Bernard Squarcini publishes a book entitled Renseignements français : nouveaux enjeux along with Etienne Pellot, in which he describes his vision for a reform of the French intelligence services and a law to structure the intelligence activity, as well as measures to fight against radical Islam.^[7][8]

Awards

• Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honour (France)
• Commander of the National Order of Merit (France)
• Grand Cross of Civil Merit (Spain)
• Silver Medal of Merit of the Guardia Civil (Spain)
• Police Cross of Merit (Spain)
• Grand Cross of Isabel the Catholic (Spain)
• Grand Officer of the Italian Order of Merit (Italy)

Books

• Bernard Squarcini and Étienne Pellot, Renseignement français : nouveaux enjeux, Éditions Ellipses, November 19, 2013, 312 pages, (ISBN 978-2-7298-83386)

References