The attack was filmed by a witness, awakened in the middle of the night by the explosions and the cracking of bullets. The windows of this young father overlook the prison of Fresnes (Val-de-Marne), targeted by a dozen heavily armed men. Around 4 a.m. on March 12, 2003, camcorder in hand, he observed with amazement the members of the commando firing their Kalashnikovs at the watchtowers of the remand prison, and blowing up the walls of the establishment under the clamor of the prisoners. He attends, without knowing it, one of the most spectacular recent escapes in France, that of the robber Antonio Ferrara, alias Nino.
Born in October 1973 in Cassino, Italy, Antonio Ferrara grew up in Choisy-le-Roi, in Val-de-Marne. At 21, his legal troubles begin. Sentenced for two outrages and rebellion, the Italian was sentenced in 1994 to a few months in prison. Three years later, he turned a corner by robbing a branch of Société Générale, in Soisy-sur-Seine (Essonne), with a pistol. He was arrested in 1998 and remanded in custody. At 23, this is his second time behind bars. It will be brief. A few weeks after his arrival in Fleury-Mérogis, Nino took advantage of a transfer to Corbeil-Essonnes hospital and dressed himself up. For this escape, he will be sentenced to five years in prison, on appeal, in 2003.
A talented craftsman
The police suspect Ferrara of having, during this first run, climbed the ranks of organized crime. “He played in the big leagues when he was very young,” explains to 20 minutes journalist Brendan Kemmet, co-author, with Matthieu Suc, of the book Antonio Ferrara, the king of beauty *. “The more established thugs” appreciate “his mentality”. They consider him as someone “very serious”, “reliable”, “hardworking”, “intelligent”, “faithful”, he continues. It is these qualities, then believe the investigators, “which allowed him to be adopted by large teams of robbers” of vans, he who was until then “suspected only of bank robberies”. “He had brought together, through his charisma, his friendly side, his intelligence, his availability, different groups, Corsicans, people from Val-de-Marne, Seine-Saint-Denis. »
At the time, attacks by cash carriers were commonplace. “It was a national problem,” recalls Brendan Kemmet. Toulouse, Gentilly… Nino’s shadow hovers over a series of armored van attacks, each more spectacular than the next. “The investigators thought they had identified his modus operandi, his way of proceeding on the shields”, indicates the journalist. Ferrara would have the reputation in the industry of being a talented artificer. The Italian is best known for mastering the so-called “explosive frame” technique, used to pierce the armor of vehicles carrying cash, without risking them to explode. The inventor of this process, a Marseille thug, would have trained Ferrara. And the latter, according to rumour, would have exercised in car scrapyards.
Elevator forwarding
His escape lasted four years, until July 13, 2002. On that day, the police officers of the OCRB [Office central pour la répression du banditisme] find him and question him in Athis-Mons. Back in prison, in Fresnes this time. In the shadows, his accomplices prepare his escape. Why take so many risks? Out of interest, perhaps. Out of friendship and respect, no doubt. Among the members of the commando, several Corsicans, who intend to “return the favor” to Nino. “It is said that Ferrara would have participated, at the time, in an escape attempt by Jacques Mariani [une figure du banditisme corse, membre du gang de la Brise de mer]. Everyone had deflated, except him, ”says Brendan Kemmet.
The plan, elaborated meticulously, is put into execution on this famous cold night of March 2003. Around 4:15 am, the guards posted in the watchtowers are the targets of shots from 7.2 mm caliber assault rifles. The bullets pierce the armored windows. Armed with simple rifles, they can do nothing. The criminals wear balaclavas and are equipped with police armbands. Part of the commando takes advantage of the shooting to blow up the prison door. One of them is seriously injured by the explosion and will lose an eye. They go inside and fire a rocket launcher at a second door. They rush into the breach. The disciplinary section of the prison is then in front of them.
twelve minutes
This is where Nino is. Two days earlier, the detainee refused a strip search after a visit with his lawyer. He was sanctioned and placed in the mitard. In reality, it is a ploy: the building is only about fifteen meters from the back wall of the prison. He also obtained a cell phone to communicate with his accomplices, and explosives. He uses it, during the attack, to blow up the window of his cell and get the trunk. Twelve minutes after the start of the attack, Ferrara and his accomplices slipped into the two cars which were waiting for them a little further. To slow down the first police patrols, they set fire to several vehicles parked near the prison, known until then to be very secure.
