France, March 30 -- Court proceedings, which got underway on Monday, are expected to run for at least three months, with seven of the defendants - including former intelligence agents, soldiers and business figures - facing the possibility of life imprisonment if convicted.

At the heart of the case is the Athanor Masonic Lodge in the Paris suburb of Puteaux. Prosecutors allege that the lodge served as a hub for a tightly organised network that carried out violent acts ranging from assaults to contract killings.

Among those in the dock are at least four freemasons, alongside four officers from France's DGSE external intelligence agency, three police officers, six business executives, and professionals including a doctor and an engineer. ...