Gang may have used drones to plot killer’s helicopter jailbreak
DRONES spotted flying over a prison near Paris may have been on reconnaissance missions to plan the dramatic escape by helicopter of France’s most notorious gangster, say authorities.
Heavily armed accomplices of Redoine Faïd hijacked a helicopter and forced the pilot to land in the one prison yard not covered by anti-aircraft netting on Sunday. The commandostyle operation appeared to have been meticulously planned.
Nicole Belloubet, the justice minister, said investigators were examining whether the drones, sighted repeatedly in recent months, were linked to the jailbreak.
“Someone spotted this possible way out, and it could have been done using drones,” Ms Belloubet said.
Prison wardens had called for netting to be installed over the yard, but the minister said the reason it was not done was because convicts were not usually allowed into it.
The convicted murderer’s second escape in five years is hugely embarrassing for the authorities. He was supposedly under close surveillance in Réau prison, south-east of Paris. Nearly 3,000 police officers and soldiers are taking part in a massive manhunt amid fears that he will try to flee France.
It also emerged yesterday that a week before the breakout, prison officials urged the authorities to speed up Faïd’s transfer to a more secure prison because he was an escape risk.
The justice minister has launched an inquiry and acknowledged that mistakes may have been made.
Faïd, 46, is an avid fan of caper films, the author of a confessional book about his life of crime and a serial robber of banks and armoured trucks.
“Redoine Faïd is someone who has freedom in his DNA. He also has lawbreaking in his DNA,” said Laurentfranck Lienard, lawyer for the family of police officer Aurélie Fouquet, who was killed by Faïd.
“If there was one inmate to keep a close eye on, it was him.”