In a hilarious, as well as worrying incident, a notorious criminal not only managed to escape from the prison, but also managed to evade the police by hiding under a burqa [yes, a burqa] for three months before being recaptured after a massive manhunt.
It all came to light when Imam Tawhidi, a vocal critic of Islamic extremism, shared this news worldwide through his handle:-
https://twitter.com/Imamofpeace/status/1048080184790773760
So according to the reports, as confirmed by France 24.com, Redoine Faid was convicted of a botched robbery in 2010, which resulted in the unfortunate death of a policewoman. He was sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment, though he attempted to escape more than once. Like Charles Sobhraj, Redoine Faid has acquired almost a cult status in France, despite his criminal records.
However, his efforts secured fruits only in 2018, when with the help of three armed men, who took a flying instructor hostage, Redoine escaped from the French prison, raising further questions on the prison security in France. Following his escape, a massive manhunt was launched for Redoine, his younger cousin, and a few more accomplices.
After months of investigations and efforts going futile, the French police hit the nail on the head as they tracked his location to a cluster of flats in the Oise region, north of the French capital. To quote the local police, “There was a young woman in Creil, where Faïd grew up, that last weekend had let into her car a person dressed in a burqa whose figure suggested he might be a man”.
Without wasting a single moment, in what would resemble a gripping climax of a Hollywood movie, the French police closed in on the suspects. After an intense search, a large team of France’s BRI police raided the hideout and arrested Fedoine, his brother Rachid along with the flat owner’s 28 year old nephew.
While there is no doubt that the French police performed ably with respect to recapturing the notorious criminal, the fact that Redoine Faid managed to evade the entire system for three months, is a cause of serious concern. Ironically, none wishes to address the elephant in the room, for the fear of being labelled ‘racist’ and ‘politically incorrect’ by the so called liberals.
Even though this is a French case, this equally becomes relevant for India, as the issue of security, which involves facial recognition, needs to be strengthened in the best way possible. In fact, using burqa as a cover for criminal activities is already growing popular in the Kashmir Valley, as reported by right wing commentator Anshul Saxena:-
https://twitter.com/Saurabhjohn3/status/1048084831614251008
If there is any lesson to be learnt from the French criminal’s episode, it is a simple fact : never take anything for granted, not even the security of your nation, in any respect.