Latest update from Electronic Telegraph
French prisoners release hostages
TWO inmates of a French prison yesterday released the two guards they held hostage for 18 hours after an attempt to escape by helicopter went awry.
Mounir Ben Bouabdellah, 25, gave himself up to prison officers immediately after releasing the guards. Christophe Khider, 30, remained barricaded in the prison south of Paris for two hours before he also surrendered two hours later.
The prisoners, who are serving sentences for murder and armed robbery, set their hostages free after a night of tense negotiations with a specialised rapid intervention unit.
The drama started on Sunday when accomplices hijacked a helicopter and tried to pluck the two inmates from the roof of Fresnes prison. But they failed to catch hold of the rope ladder and instead grabbed a bag of guns thrown to them.
They opened fire on several prison officers, critically wounding one. The hostages were unhurt.