Based on months of interviews with police officers close to the intelligence operation, it cited low staffing on summer holidays, poor work conditions and, above all, the need for members of the hierarchy to sign off on intelligence documents submitted by the rank and file.

„Because what we write is classified as a defence secret, there are too many controls, too much rereading, too many chiefs who want to correct the notes, put their stamp on it …,“ said an unnamed officer in the intelligence unit quoted by Mediapart.