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More than three months after the police prefecture massacre, Matignon decided to tighten control over the agents of the intelligence services. Martin BUREAU / AFP

How to strengthen the security of intelligence services? The question had turned out to be crucial in the aftermath of the attack committed by a computer specialist in the intelligence department at the Paris police headquarters. Two investigations were then entrusted to the inspection of the intelligence services (ISR) which has just made its findings.

For the inspection of intelligence services, there are weaknesses in the application of the devices applied so far.

Thus, the procedures for detecting risky behaviors or weaknesses in certain agents are not the same in the different departments. Likewise, public officials may have been assigned to an intelligence service even though the authorization procedures were not completed, in particular those linked to secret defense.

Read also: Killing at the Paris police headquarters: the profile of the assailant becomes clearer

Conclusions that reacted to the Prime Minister's services, which announced a series of measures this Tuesday evening: now the cases of radicalization within the internal security forces are the subject of centralized and reinforced monitoring.

Staff training on so-called “weak signals” of radicalization is mandatory. Especially in terms of recruitment, Matignon stresses the establishment of the principle of authorization prior to secret defense when taking up office in an intelligence service. A clearance obtained after a careful investigation.

Since 2014, when the inspection took office, 16 people have been removed from the intelligence services. None since the attack on October 3 at the Paris police headquarters.

Also read: Radicalization in French public services: “no panic, no denial”