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Clumsy French spy sends text message to the radical Islamist he was keeping tabs on

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Clumsy French spy sends text message to the radical Islamist he was keeping tabs on
Photo: AFP

A member of the French intelligence services has landed himself in hot water after sending a text message containing information on a radical Islamist he was spying on, to the target himself.

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Anyone who has accidently sent a text message to the wrong person might have some sympathy with a member of the French intelligent services who landed himself in trouble with his bosses this week.

The man, who works for the central territorial intelligence services (SCRT) had been keeping tabs on a suspected Islamist extremist.

He wanted to send a text containing important intelligence on his target to a colleague.

But the spy got all his phone numbers mixed up and accidentally sent it to the very suspect he had been closely monitoring.

The "target" was reportedly quick to respond to the message, reminding the spy of how incompetent he had been. And to make matters worse he was able to warn those he had been contact with that they too were probably being listened to.

The gaffe angered those at France's main internal intelligence services the DGSI who were also spying on the suspect.

The man under surveillance was suspected of preaching an extremist version of Islam in the greater Paris region of Ile-de-France.

French media who picked up the story this week, described it as a “monumental blunder” as they asked the question: “How could this have happened?”

Perhaps it would not have been so serious if France had not been on high alert for further terror attacks after being targeted by jihadists in recent years.

The DGSI was forced to end their investigation into the suspect.

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