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CRIME

Man behind French ‘heist of century’ hangs self

Marc Armando, the suspected mastermind behind one of France's most spectacular bank heists two decades ago, has committed suicide in prison, sources close to the investigation said Saturday.

Published: 4 May 2013 10:50 CEST
Man behind French 'heist of century' hangs self
Toulon. Photo: styeb

Armando, 56, was sentenced to 18 years in jail for his role in the 1992 robbery of the Bank of France in Toulon when raiders got away with 146 million francs (€22 million today), only around a tenth of which was ever recovered.

In April, he was arrested in the Netherlands under a European arrest warrant in connection with drug trafficking and was handed over to French authorities on Friday.

Armando was found hanged in his cell within hours of arriving at a detention centre in Marseille on Friday evening, sources said.

An investigation into the death is under way.

Armando was thought to have been the brains behind the Toulon bank robbery, known as "the heist of the century" in France.

He was due to appear before magistrates on Saturday in connection with a large seizure of cocaine in the port of Rotterdam. The illegal cargo was allegedly attached to a petrol tanker. 

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CRIME

Teen held in France over ‘die a martyr’ Olympics messages

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in France after he allegedly said on social media he wanted to make an explosive belt and die a martyr at the Paris Olympics this summer, officials said.

Published: 25 April 2024 13:02 CEST
Teen held in France over 'die a martyr' Olympics messages

The teenager from the department of Haute-Savoie in southeastern France was arrested on Tuesday, said the anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office, adding a probe had been launched on Wednesday.

The teenager was arrested “following his statements on social media announcing his intention to make an explosive belt with a view to dying a martyr,” the anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office said.

During a search of his parents’ home, handwritten papers were discovered in which the teen had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, a police source said.

According to the same source, the teenager admitted to having planned to commit a “terrorist act” using a gun or explosive belt at La Défense, the business district west of the capital that is also home to an arena hosting swimming and water polo competitions during the Games.

The anti-terrorist prosecutor’s office said work was under way to determine the teen’s exact intentions.

The DGSI, France’s domestic intelligence agency, is conducting an investigation.

France is hosting the Olympic Games in Paris from July 26th to August 11th, with security during the event a major concern.

In March the government raised its terror alert to the highest level.

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