Matei Pavel Haiducu
Encyclopedia
Matei Pavel Haiducu was a Romania
n secret agent
who defected to France
in 1981. He belonged to the "Direcţia Informaţii Externe" of the Securitate
.
He was born in Bucharest
as Matei Pavel Hirsch. Haiducu's father was a high-ranked official in the Interior Ministry
under the Communist regime
.
Starting in 1975, he lived in France, being involved in industrial espionage
for Romania, especially on nuclear technology
. On January 13, 1981, Haiducu received an order from his superior, General Nicolae Pleşiţă
, to kill Virgil Tănase and Paul Goma
, two prominent Romanian dissident writers living in France. However, instead of doing that, he revealed the orders to the French secret service, the Direction de la surveillance du territoire
, and organized an attempt on Goma's life (however, his poisoned drink was spilled by a "clumsy guest", who was in fact a French agent) and staged Tănase's simulated kidnapping and murder, with witnesses seeing him on May 20, 1982 being pushed into a car.
The French president, François Mitterrand
, was also involved. On June 9, 1982, he held a press conference in which he attacked Romanian President
Nicolae Ceauşescu
for this incident and postponed a visit to Romania. Haiducu was able to return to Romania to fetch his family. After he and his family had escaped to France, the news broke and several French newspapers published the story. Meanwhile, Tănase was living in the region of Brittany
in northwestern France. He held a press conference on 25 August 1982. He was sentenced to death in absentia
and his properties were confiscated.
Haiducu settled in France and lived under the name of Matei Pavel Forrestier, marrying a French woman and having two children. In 1984, he published a book (J'ai Refusé De Tuer — "I Refused to Kill") with details on the affair. Haiducu died in 1998.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n secret agent
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
who defected to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1981. He belonged to the "Direcţia Informaţii Externe" of the Securitate
Securitate
The Securitate was the secret police agency of Communist Romania. Previously, the Romanian secret police was called Siguranţa Statului. Founded on August 30, 1948, with help from the Soviet NKVD, the Securitate was abolished in December 1989, shortly after President Nicolae Ceaușescu was...
.
He was born in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
as Matei Pavel Hirsch. Haiducu's father was a high-ranked official in the Interior Ministry
Ministry of Administration and Interior of Romania
The Ministry of Administration and Interior of Romania is one of the fifteen ministries of the Government of Romania.From 23 August 1944 to 18 March 1975 the minister held the title of Minister of Internal Affairs, between 2004 and 2007, held the title of Minister of Administration and Interior,...
under the Communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
.
Starting in 1975, he lived in France, being involved in industrial espionage
Industrial espionage
Industrial espionage, economic espionage or corporate espionage is a form of espionage conducted for commercial purposes instead of purely national security purposes...
for Romania, especially on nuclear technology
Nuclear technology
Nuclear technology is technology that involves the reactions of atomic nuclei. Among the notable nuclear technologies are nuclear power, nuclear medicine, and nuclear weapons...
. On January 13, 1981, Haiducu received an order from his superior, General Nicolae Pleşiţă
Nicolae Pleşiţă
Nicolae Pleşiţă was a Romanian intelligence official and secret police investigator. From 1980 to 1984, he led the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Securitate, the secret service of Communist Romania...
, to kill Virgil Tănase and Paul Goma
Paul Goma
Paul Goma is a Romanian writer, also known for his activities as a dissident and leading opponent of the communist regime before 1989. Forced into exile by the communist authorities, he became a political refugee and currently resides in France as a stateless person...
, two prominent Romanian dissident writers living in France. However, instead of doing that, he revealed the orders to the French secret service, the Direction de la surveillance du territoire
Direction de la surveillance du territoire
The Direction de la Surveillance du Territoire was a directorate of the French National Police operating as a domestic intelligence agency. It was responsible for counterespionage, counterterrorism and more generally the security of France against foreign threats and interference...
, and organized an attempt on Goma's life (however, his poisoned drink was spilled by a "clumsy guest", who was in fact a French agent) and staged Tănase's simulated kidnapping and murder, with witnesses seeing him on May 20, 1982 being pushed into a car.
The French president, François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
, was also involved. On June 9, 1982, he held a press conference in which he attacked Romanian President
President of Romania
The President of Romania is the head of state of Romania. The President is directly elected by a two-round system for a five-year term . An individual may serve two terms...
Nicolae Ceauşescu
Nicolae Ceausescu
Nicolae Ceaușescu was a Romanian Communist politician. He was General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party from 1965 to 1989, and as such was the country's second and last Communist leader...
for this incident and postponed a visit to Romania. Haiducu was able to return to Romania to fetch his family. After he and his family had escaped to France, the news broke and several French newspapers published the story. Meanwhile, Tănase was living in the region of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
in northwestern France. He held a press conference on 25 August 1982. He was sentenced to death in absentia
In absentia
In absentia is Latin for "in the absence". In legal use, it usually means a trial at which the defendant is not physically present. The phrase is not ordinarily a mere observation, but suggests recognition of violation to a defendant's right to be present in court proceedings in a criminal trial.In...
and his properties were confiscated.
Haiducu settled in France and lived under the name of Matei Pavel Forrestier, marrying a French woman and having two children. In 1984, he published a book (J'ai Refusé De Tuer — "I Refused to Kill") with details on the affair. Haiducu died in 1998.