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Excerpts

Paris, 19 September 2007

(...) [I’m speaking] to all those who preach human rights and forget that the first human right is to respect the victims.
The reason I’ve asked Michèle Alliot-Marie to start implementing an unprecedented plan to put CCTV in our stations and airports isn’t to spy on anyone’s private life, it’s to prevent others becoming victims and, if this happens - following the example of what the British have done tremendously well -, to be able to arrest the guilty. When we talk about such serious issues I’d like us to avoid their blinkered reasoning which is hurtful to the victims.

The same applies when it comes to computer files which are absolutely indispensable to the police and the courts, to intelligence, which is the most effective weapon for fighting the development of terrorist networks in our country, to the length of time computer records are kept, and to the battle against financing terrorism. It also applies to centralizing prosecutions and having specialized prosecutors, judicial processes and courts for terrorist offences. As for international cooperation, you’re right to stress its importance. But I want to say one thing : with a few rare exceptions, it is operating remarkably well.

I shall give priority to preventing terrorist acts.
This is in fact why I have asked Michèle Alliot-Marie to bring together in one internal intelligence directorate the DST [France’s counter-intelligence service] and Renseignements généraux (RG) [police intelligence unit]. Believe me, that goes against a lot of ingrained habits, once again ! But I can’t accept there being several intelligence services with the consequent loss of energy.

In the face of an unidentified adversary, whose networks are fragmented, the cohesion of our intelligence services must be perfect. This is what Michèle Alliot-Marie is seeing to, with my total support.

I want to go further and so give France a more effective CCTV system. The counter terrorism Act of 23 January 2006 allows places of worship and department stores to put cameras on the public highway bordering their buildings. What an incredible battle there was to get that.

But when I compare our network to the one in Britain where, since 1990, over 4 million cameras have been installed, I say to myself that we must do much more to increase our vigilance. And let everyone shoulder their responsibilities. Let those against this speak up and come and explain why they are against it. In the country of habeas corpus, no one is questioning the system. Who hasn’t noted how quickly the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks which shook that great country of Britain, were identified and arrested in record time? No one is going to come and tell me that a CCTV camera raises privacy issues. (...)