In France, a criminal was freed in a cinematic way. The man nicknamed “Fly” became conspicuous at a young age, and numerous judgments followed. Nevertheless, the escape came as a surprise to many.
There were scenes like something out of an action movie that took place in Normandy on Tuesday. A prisoner transport vehicle was rammed by a car and then came under heavy fire. Four black-masked attackers freed the villain: the “fly” (“la mouche”).
The man with the rather harmless-sounding nickname is actually called Mohamed Amra and is anything but a lightweight among criminals. The station “Europa 1” reports that he became suspicious at the age of eleven.
The French justice system has now handed down thirteen verdicts against the 30-year-old. The “fly” was most recently sentenced to 18 months in prison at the beginning of May for burglary and grand theft. Further negotiations had already been scheduled.
In other cases he was accused of intentional homicide and false imprisonment. As media reports, the police also suspect him of being an active member of a drug trafficking ring from Marseille. The ring operates in Europe and the Caribbean. The “fly” is also said to have ordered several murders in France and abroad.
An escape had apparently been planned for a long time: Mohamed Amra is said to have sawed at the bars of the cell in the prison in Évreux and wanted to hide it with adhesive tape. He was then placed in solitary confinement.
However, there were no special security precautions when transporting prisoners back from a court hearing. The “fly” was not considered a prisoner requiring special monitoring, French media report.
The police were therefore surprised by the professionalism with which the criminal was freed. Amra’s former lawyer was also surprised that her client “was courteous and polite.” His current lawyer confirmed the impression. His assistant saw the “fly” on the morning of the liberation and he was completely normal.
The French prison guards seem to see it differently: They went to the barricades after the liberation, during which two guards were killed. They complain that there are too lax security precautions for prisoner transport.
The police have now been alerted – perhaps too late. “Unprecedented means of international cooperation and criminal investigation” are being used to find the runaway, as French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin assured. Around 450 officers are deployed in Normandy. The Paris public prosecutor’s office also opened proceedings against the liberation squad for murder and possession of military weapons.