Editing Le Cercle (section)

==Activities and Controversies==
Le Cercle’s activities were shrouded in secrecy, but available evidence suggests it played a significant role in shaping conservative political outcomes and supporting covert operations:

	•	Political Influence:
	◦	The 1982 Langemann Papers, leaked by a BND officer, revealed Le Cercle’s efforts to influence Western European elections in countries like the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Belgium. The group reportedly supported conservative politicians, including Margaret Thatcher’s 1979 election in the UK.
	◦	An agenda presented by Brian Crozier outlined goals such as “undercover financial transactions for political aims,” “international campaigns to discredit hostile personalities or events,” and the creation of a private intelligence service with a selective point of view.

	•	Support for Apartheid:
	◦	In the 1970s and 1980s, Le Cercle had close ties with South Africa, which provided the only official delegation and hosted meetings, including one in Stellenbosch in January 1984. The group supported anti-communist organizations like [[RENAMO]] (Mozambique) and [[UNITA]] (Angola), whose representatives attended meetings.
	◦	These ties drew criticism, with X posts (e.g., @kennardmatt) highlighting Le Cercle’s support for apartheid as evidence of its right-wing agenda.

	•	Arms Dealing and Covert Operations:
	◦	Le Cercle members were linked to major arms scandals, including the Iran-Contra affair and the Al-Yamamah arms deal. Members like Jonathan Aitken (chairman in the 1990s), Paul Channon, and Alan Clark were connected to the Arms-to-Iraq affair, while Aitken and Norman Lamont were involved in Al-Yamamah.
	◦	The group’s interest in “counter-terrorism” and arms dealing suggests a role in shaping the “War on Terror” narrative, with members like Brian Crozier, Robert Moss, Gerhard Lowenthal, and Alun Gwynne Jones speaking at the 1979 Jerusalem Conference on International Terrorism.

	•	Operation Gladio Connection:
	◦	Le Cercle’s origins as a Franco-German alliance and its anti-communist focus have led to speculation about ties to [[Operation Gladio]], NATO’s clandestine “stay-behind” networks designed to resist Soviet invasion. The group’s Catholic roots and early membership (e.g., [[Opus Dei]], Knights of Malta) align with Gladio’s conservative, anti-communist ethos.

	◦	The presence of figures like Baron Benoit de Bonvoisin, a Belgian implicated in the Strategy of Tension (a Gladio-linked campaign of false-flag attacks), suggests possible overlap. Researcher Joël van der Reijden notes de Bonvoisin’s attendance as significant due to his ties to the Belgian X-Dossiers and Gladio-related activities.

	◦	While no definitive evidence confirms Le Cercle’s operational role in Gladio, its network of intelligence veterans and support for NATO’s nuclear policies (e.g., Cruise and Pershing II missiles in the late 1970s) suggest alignment with Gladio’s goals.