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Enhanced Security Measures Surrounding Rédoine Faïd’s Trial: The Notorious French ‘Jailbreak King’

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One of France’s most infamous criminals is currently on trial in Paris, with extensive security measures in place, for his daring escape from prison using a helicopter five years ago.

Due to Rédoine Faïd’s notoriety for prison breaks, French authorities have deployed a specialized gendarme unit to prevent any attempt to flee while traveling to and from the courtroom.

Reports indicate that there is a significant risk of another escape plot, as per police warnings.

Faïd, aged 51, stands accused alongside 11 other individuals, including his two older brothers.

Court accounts state that he arrived at the courthouse under tight police escort, followed by his brother Rachid, who is suspected of orchestrating the prison break.

At the time of his dramatic escape, Faïd was already serving a sentence for a previous jailbreak in 2013.

The escape involved two accomplices who held a helicopter pilot hostage and landed in the courtyard of Réau Prison, located south of Paris, on July 1, 2018. They used smoke bombs and angle grinders to access a nearby visiting room where Faïd was meeting his brother Brahim.

A prison guard described the two men, dressed as commandos, carrying Kalashnikov assault rifles, and how he and his colleagues were unable to respond to the attack. The helicopter, an Alouette II, quickly departed, and the entire operation took just minutes.

Faïd was eventually recaptured three months later during a raid on an apartment in his hometown of Creil.

His criminal career began with armed robberies and extortion in the crime-ridden suburbs of Paris during the 1990s. He later authored a book in which he detailed how the Hollywood film Heat influenced his attack on a security van in the 1990s, garnering him some degree of celebrity as he appeared on TV to promote the book.

After a brief release from one jail sentence in 2010, he was rearrested for violating the terms of his release. He subsequently received a lengthy prison term for masterminding a robbery in 2010, which resulted in the death of 26-year-old policewoman Aurélie Fouquet.

In 2013, he took four prison guards hostage and used explosions to break through five prison doors, making a dramatic escape from a jail near Lille in northern France. All four guards were eventually released, but Faïd remained on the run for six weeks before being recaptured and returned to prison.

Over the next seven weeks, Faïd’s trial will take place in a high-security courtroom on the Île de la Cité in Paris. He faces charges related to hijacking an aircraft and multiple prison escapes as part of an organized criminal group.

French media have reported on a confidential police alert highlighting a “significant risk of an escape attempt.”

However, Faïd’s legal team has protested against his solitary confinement at Fleury-Mérogis prison south of Paris, arguing that while his jailbreak was spectacular, it wasn’t inherently dangerous. One of his lawyers, Marie Violleau, pointed out, “Rédoine Faïd didn’t shoot at the guards, he didn’t shoot at the watchtowers… It barely lasted seven minutes, and that’s why the decision has been made to treat him like an animal and cut him off from the entire world.”

Among the 11 co-defendants are several members of Faïd’s family, including his brothers Rachid and Brahim. Another accused individual is Jacques Mariani, described as an heir to one of the founders of a notorious organized crime gang on the French island of Corsica.

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Vladimir Putin vows to hold accountable the leaders of the Wagner mutiny

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Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, has accused the leaders of the recent Wagner mutiny of seeking to create chaos and conflict within Russia. In a strongly-worded speech, Putin vowed to bring the organizers of the revolt to justice. However, he distinguished the regular Wagner troops as “patriots” and provided them with options to join the army, go to Belarus, or return home. Putin did not specifically mention Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner, who had previously denied any involvement in attempting to overthrow Putin’s regime.

Wagner is a private army of mercenaries that has been fighting alongside the Russian military in Ukraine. The mutiny, which was short-lived, involved Wagner fighters seizing a major Russian city and advancing towards Moscow in a convoy of military vehicles. Prigozhin claimed that the revolt was in response to government plans to take direct control of Wagner, citing concerns over mistakes made by defense officials during the war with Ukraine. He insisted that Wagner had always acted in Russia’s interests.

Prigozhin’s comments were his first public statements since reaching a deal to end the mutiny, reportedly involving him going to Belarus with dropped criminal charges. However, Russian state media reported that he remains under investigation. Putin emphasized in his address to the Russian people that the organizers of the march on Moscow would face justice and criticized Prigozhin for betraying Russia. He used the speech to assert his authority and counter the perception of a weak response to the mutiny.

Putin accused the West of wanting Russians to turn against each other, although US President Joe Biden denied any involvement by the US or its allies in the rebellion. Putin claimed that his handling of the crisis prevented a catastrophe, but many Russians witnessed events differently and may not be convinced by his statements. He reiterated his promise to allow Wagner troops who did not engage in violence against fellow Russians to leave for Belarus or sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense or other military and law enforcement structures. Putin credited the unity of Russian society and thanked Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko for his role in peacefully resolving the situation.

The contrast between Putin’s portrayal of a united country and the scenes in Rostov, where locals welcomed and embraced the Wagner fighters, led Putin to suggest that the mercenaries had been deceived and used. The rebellion occurred after months of tensions between Wagner and Russia’s military leadership. The situation escalated when Wagner mercenaries crossed the Ukrainian border and took control of the regional military command in Rostov-on-Don, while a column of military vehicles headed towards Moscow. Prigozhin claimed that the “march of justice” exposed serious security problems across the country and mentioned Lukashenko’s involvement in brokering an agreement to end the mutiny. He expressed regret for the deaths of Russian troops during the conflict but justified their actions as self-defense.

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Wagner Mercenaries in Russian Urban Areas Defy Putin’s Accusations of Rebellion

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Russian Private Military Contractor, Wagner Group’s Leader Yevgeny Prigozhin Claims Control of Military Sites in Rostov-on-Don, Defying President Putin’s Accusations of Betrayal

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian private military contractor Wagner Group, has asserted that his mercenaries have taken over “all military facilities” in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don. Reports suggest that they have also been deployed in Voronezh, located further north, following Prigozhin’s threat to march on Moscow and remove Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu from power.

President Vladimir Putin has condemned these actions, referring to them as a “stab in the back” and vowing to punish those who have “betrayed” Russia. Security measures have been tightened in numerous regions, including Moscow.

The Wagner Group, known for its involvement alongside the regular Russian army in the conflict in Ukraine, has been experiencing increasing tensions with the military leadership over their differing approaches to the war. Prigozhin has been openly criticizing Russia’s military command in recent months.

The situation escalated dramatically after Prigozhin accused the Russian military of targeting his group’s base in Ukraine, a claim that Moscow denies.

Prigozhin insists that this is not a military coup, but rather an attempt to overthrow Russia’s military leadership. However, President Putin, in his address, described the situation as an act of “treason.”

While Prigozhin was not mentioned by name, President Putin warned that those who engaged in betrayal, armed rebellion, blackmail, or terrorist methods would face severe consequences under the law and before the Russian people.

In response, Prigozhin, for the first time directly criticizing the Russian leader, stated that his troops were “patriots of our motherland” and argued that President Putin was “profoundly mistaken” to accuse them of betrayal.

In a video shared on his Telegram channel, Prigozhin claimed that his fighters had entered Rostov-on-Don after crossing the border from Ukraine, asserting that his forces would eliminate anyone obstructing their path. However, the location and veracity of his claim regarding shooting down a Russian military helicopter that allegedly fired upon a civilian convoy remain unverified.

President Putin acknowledged the challenging situation in Rostov-on-Don, where Wagner forces reportedly control military installations. The city of Voronezh, en route to Moscow, is also said to be under their control, prompting the governor to initiate a “counter-terrorism operation.”

Previously, Prigozhin and President Putin had a close relationship. However, this latest challenge, combined with the complications arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has presented a headache for the Russian leader. Consequently, Putin has taken a firm stance, declaring “enough is enough.”

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Three arrested including 14-year-old as police foil attack on Vienna’s pride parade

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Austrian police have prevented an attack on Vienna’s annual Pride parade by apprehending three suspects believed to have ties to Islamic extremism. The individuals, aged 14, 17, and 20, are Austrian citizens of Bosnian and Chechen descent. According to Omar Haijawi-Pirchner from Austria’s State Protection and Intelligence Directorate (DSN), the suspects had become radicalized online and held sympathies for ISIS.

Haijawi-Pirchner emphasized that hate and terrorism have no place in a democratic society. Gerhard Pürstl, the state police president, highlighted that both Islamic and right-wing extremists pose a significant threat to the LGBTQ community. He referenced previous violent incidents during similar events worldwide and in Europe.

The DSN had prior knowledge of the suspects’ alleged plans and closely monitored them. The arrests were made before the parade by Austria’s Cobra special forces. The Interior Ministry’s statement assured the public that attendees were never in danger. Authorities conducted searches in Vienna and lower Austria, resulting in the confiscation of prohibited weapons.

The Rainbow Parade is a prominent part of Vienna Pride, Austria’s largest LGBTQ event, held annually from June 1 to 18. This year, the parade drew approximately 300,000 participants.

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