The Rainbow Warrior - sinking as a result of two bombs placed by the French government.
French Secret Service agents killed Greenpeace photographer
Fernando Pereira in an attack that would have made Inspector Gadget
look slick. Despite mounting evidence to the contrary gathered
within days of the attack, France continued to deny responsibility
for over two months. Here we trace the events that led to the
eventual reluctant admission of guilt and the disappearance of
those responsible. Just before midnight on July 10, 1985, the crew of the Rainbow Warrior
stared in disbelief at the half-submerged ship - their home and an
international symbol of peace. But it was not until police were
able to view the holes left in the ship – one big enough to drive a car
through – that it was clear this was an act of sabotage and not just a
tragic accident.
Detective Inspector Allan Galbraith was appointed to oversee the
investigation. He immediately called for additional resources and
hit the ground running to find those responsible. In the week
following the attack, his team consisted of 56 officers, at its height,
that number would grow to over 100. Over the next four months more than
6,000 interviews would be carried out.
A Promising Start
The police immediately had leads. On the day of the attack, Mike
Harris - a taxi driver in Auckland – was enjoying a drink with friends
at the Outboard Boating Club. They noticed a small inflatable
Zodiac pulled up on a wooden ramp leading up to the roadside. The
driver of the Zodiac climbed out and jogged down Tamaki Drive,
returning moments later in a white camper van. Helped by another man,
the Zodiac driver offloaded a large bundle from the boat and into the
back of the van. Their suspicions aroused, Mike and his friends
telephoned the police. They managed to jot down the vehicle details as
it sped away - - a white Toyota Hiace, registration plate LB 8945.
The next day police received a call from the airport branch of Newman’s
car rental agency. The couple that had leased the Toyota Hiace
was attempting to return the vehicle earlier than expected. A
detective was sent to question and detain the couple that leased the
Toyota. They were later identified as Captain Dominique Prieur
and Major Alain Mafart, high-ranking agents of the DGSE, the French
Secret Services.
That same day, the morning papers reported that the Auckland police
wanted to interview a Frenchman who had visited the ship the day of the
bombing. This prompted Frank McLean, a Senior Customs Officer in
Whangarei,
north of Auckland, to recall - and report - an incident in late June
involving a French crewed sloop ship, the Ouvéa.
Au Revoir Ouvéa
The Ouvéa had been docked in
Whangarei and set sail on July 9. During routine immigration checks,
McLean's instincts told him something didn't quite fit. Having a
distinct military bearing, three of them carried brand new, uncreased
and unmarked passports. One claimed to be a photographer although no
camera equipment was in evidence when McLean checked over the vessel.
Police investigations brought to light that the Ouvéa
had been used to transport the explosives and other French agents to
New Zealand. Three crewmembers were eventually identified as DGSE
agents (Roland Verge, Gerald Andries and Jean-Michel Barcelo). The
fourth was a Navy reservist and freelance doctor specializing in the
treatment of diving injuries (Xavier Christian Jean Maniguet). Although
they were brought in for questioning shortly after the bombing, the
police had insufficient evidence at the time to hold them. They and the
Ouvéa quickly disappeared. The
police believe that the yacht now lies at the bottom of the deep ocean
and the crew were evacuated by a French submarine.
Information also emerged detailing a meeting between Major Mafart and Captain Prieur and the DGSE agents from the Ouvéa. Forensic evidence uncovered fingerprints from Mafart and Prieur on documents found on the Ouvéa.
“Infultrating Greenpeace is like Infultrating the YMCA”
Weeks earlier, a French volunteer joined the Greenpeace New Zealand
office. After the attack, Frédérique Bonlieu sent a postcard of
condolence. It was later revealed that Frédérique was actually
Christine Cabon, a captain in the French Army. She had
infiltrated our office to gather intelligence on us to help the French
with their attack.
Such was the depth and breadth of the trail left by the French agents
of the DGSE, it was quickly observed by the media that the only thing
missing was “a beret, a bottle of Beaujolais and a baguette.”
No Kidding
On September 21, France finally admitted its responsibility for sinking
the Rainbow Warrior. The United Nations was called in to mediate
a settlement between France and New Zealand. Eventually the French
government was forced into an unconvincing apology and ordered to pay
NZ$13 million to the New Zealand government. Later still, Greenpeace
received US$8 million from France. This enabled us to build the
replacement for the Rainbow Warrior, the current Rainbow Warrior II.
On November 4, the trial of Captain Prieur and Major Mafart began…and
ended. The pair entered guilty pleas, thus avoiding a lengthy trial and
the possibility of more revelations to rock the French establishment.
They were sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for manslaughter, and
seven years for arson, to run concurrently.
In the months that followed, France exerted serious economic pressure
on New Zealand over dairy exports and a deal was struck allowing Prieur
and Mafart to serve their time in a French military prison. They served
a little over two years of their sentences before being freed and
returned to Paris, where they were honored with military medals and
resumed their careers.
In 1985 French President Francois Mitterrand promised “justice at the
highest level.” But 20 years later, no proper public inquiry into
the bombing and the murder of Fernando Pereira has been held in France.
New Zealand's police have been denied the opportunity to interview most
of the DGSE agents responsible.
Along with the crew of the Ouvéa,
New Zealand's police force still have warrants out for the questioning
of two more agents, Alain Tonel and Jacques Camurier, who are believed
to have been the back-up team. A warrant is also still out for Colonel
Louis Pierre Dillais, revealed as the head of the operation in a book
written by Mafart after his return to France. Colonel Dillias was later
identified as having stayed in a hotel room overlooking Marsden Wharf.
Marelle Pereira, one of Fernando's two children, was just eight years
old when her father was murdered. She believes it is never too
late for France to tell the truth nor is it too late for justice.
Fernando Pereira and his daughter, Marelle, then eight years old.
Photo by kind permission of Marelle
Pereira.