Julie, the cashier at the Super U in Trèbes in Aude, testifies for the first time since gendarme Arnaud Beltrame, elevated to the rank of hero, saved her life by taking her place as a hostage on March 23, 2018.
“He was an exceptional man.” For the first time in almost six years, Juliebreaks the silence for the first time and delivers in front of the cameras TF1a moving testimony on the man who, in 2018, saved his life.
This man is called Arnaud Beltrame. This lieutenant colonel of the gendarmerie, then aged 44, killed by the assailant Radouane Lakdimduring the Trèbes attacks and of Carcassonne.
This March 23, 2018
It is March 23, 2018, in Aude. That day, like all the others, Julie, 40, took her job at Super U in the small town of Trèbes where she has been working for eighteen months. She is cashier and is located at the supermarket reception. The young woman does not imagine that her life, like that of other people, will turn into horror.
“I saw someone shooting in the air”
She says, upset. “I heard Allah Akbar shout and I saw someone shooting in the air”, recalls Julie who has the reflex to hide. “I immediately ducked but he entered the office straight away. He told me: “It’s okay, I have my hostage, come on get out of there, I won’t hurt you.”
The assailant’s deadly journey
The attacker has already killed three people in his deadly journey. The first victim is called Jean Mazières, a 60-year-old retired winemaker who he kills on the road to Carcassonne to steal his car. On his way, he seriously injures a gendarme while jogging.
Then, arrive at the Super U in Trèbes. There he coldly shoots down Christian Medvès50 years old, the butcher then a customer, Hervé Sosna65 years old, a retired mason.
“I felt the barrel of the gun shaking on my skull”
Julie becomes the human shield of Radouane Lakdim who puts a gun to her head, a knife to her chest. “I felt the barrel of the gun shaking on my skull,” explains Julie, her voice trembling.
“I also felt that in the terrorist’s mind, I no longer existed, I was just a kind of puppet.” Julie will then speak to the terrorist. “Be careful, you’re trembling, don’t kill me without intention (…) yes, I really thought I would die that day…”
Until suddenly the highest ranking member of the gendarmerie entered the store. His name is Arnaud Beltrame and he is a lieutenant-colonel of the gendarmerie. Everything will change because the gendarme will take Julie’s place as a hostage. “I heard a voice to my left.” A real exchange begins between Arnaud Beltrame and the attacker.
“Take me instead of the little lady”
“He chooses his words well and repeats in various ways. Take me instead of the little lady who has nothing to do with it, I represent the State, we will discuss.”
The soldier then places his service weapon on the ground and walks towards Radouane Lakdim and Julie. The lieutenant colonel then takes his place. This is the first and last time that Julie will meet the gaze of the man who saved her life. Arnaud Beltrame is killed.
The outstretched hand of Marielle Beltrame
Julie is saddened by the difficult reconstruction for her. His glimmer of hope will come from the widow of Lieutenant-Colonel Marielle Beltrame, who will extend a hand to him. “She wrote me a very kind and pretty letter. It helped me cure some of my guilt..”
The trial starts on January 22 in Paris
The trial of the attacks in Trèbes and Carcassonne (Aude) will be the first major legal meeting of the year 2024, before the special assize court of Paris. From January 22 to February 23, seven peoplesix men and one woman, will be judged.
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Trèbes and Carcassonne attacks: seven people will be tried in January and February 2024
Five people are accused of terrorist criminal associations with a view to preparing crimes of personal injury. Another for illegal possession of weapons. Finally, the seventh, for failure to report a crime.