neutralize the ship. A scandal erupted and led to Hernu's resignation two months later. Hernu died in Villeurbanne, aged 66. After his death more reports emerged as to his political activities. In 1996, the magazine L'Express published articles claiming that, under the code names "André" and "Dinu", Hernu had been an agent of the Soviet Union. In 2005, the newspaper Le Monde published extracts of a 1986 report by the former chief of the DGSE, Admiral Pierre Lacoste. According to the newspaper, Admiral Lacoste affirmed that the French spies who planted the bombs acted under the orders of Mitterrand himself (who had died nine years earlier). References 1923 births 1990 deaths Politicians from Quimper Radical Party (France) politicians Unified Socialist Party (France) politicians Socialist Party (France) politicians French Ministers of Defence Deputies of the 3rd National Assembly of the French Fourth Republic Deputies of the 6th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic Deputies of the 7th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic Deputies of the 8th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic Deputies of the 9th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic