Circling the Lion's Den

CECILE Jean-Jacques

French freelance journalist specialized in defence-related matters. Eighteen years first within a French Army's special forces unit, then as an intelligence analyst.

Also see:

SPECIAL FORCES & COMMANDO UNITS:

  • "SAS, Her Majesty's secret commando unit" : book presenting the famous British Special Air Service, from the Gulf to Northern Ireland. Histoire & Collections (Paris), July 1997.
  • "Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)" : article on USMC's commando units that have taken off O'Grady, American pilot downed over Bosnia. November 1997.
  • "American special operations forces at the start of the third millennium" : article published in December 1997 in the pages of a governmental strategic research foundation's publication.

INTELLIGENCE & SPYING:

  • "French intelligence services at the dawn of the 21st century" : a complete review of the "French intelligence community" (DGSE, DRM, DST, RG...) today. Lavauzelle (Paris), June 1998.
  • "From Gulf War to Kosovo - Intelligence, special action and new world order". Lavauzelle (Paris), November 2000.

ARMED FORCES & ARMAMENT FROM EUROPEAN COUNTRIES:

  • "Chechen quagmire for the Russian Army" : article published in April 1995.
  • "The Slovakian rapid reaction battalion" : article published in October 1997.
  • "The Polish armed forces" : article published in February 1998

What they think about it:

  • "Jean-Jacques Cйcile has written a wide panorama presenting the most prestigious unit within the British special forces. He very carefully assesses the unit's organisation and functioning rules through successes and failures."
  • Review of the book about the SAS, 'Le Monde du Renseignement' (French intelligence newsletter), 24 July 1997.
  • "The author gives us a what appears to be a real picture presenting the intelligence technical systems and services at the French government disposal. The book, in which the author paid attention to the slightest detail, is bursting with very precise information, not to say revelations."
  • Review of the book about the French intelligence apparatus, 'TTU' (weekly strategic topics newsletter), 28 May 1998.