Paul Barril, French ‘Supergendarme’ Turned Mercenary, Has Died

Paul Barril, French ‘Supergendarme’ Turned Mercenary, Has Died

Paul Barril’s offer to African dictators was straightforward: Your opponents will be subjected to surveillance and manipulation. Newspapers will be “infiltrated.” Plots against the state will be “neutralized.” Plenty of heads of state took up the services he offered, including Omar Bongo in Gabon and Denis Sassou-Nguesso in Congo. Other clients went to Paris to do their shopping at his Security Action Store, which offered the latest in bulletpro…