Original subtitles

THE ASSAULT

Emma?

We're hiding.

Emma?

Where are they?

Wait, honey.

There's no one here?

There's no one home?

How come there's no one home?

We're hiding.

I saw you two.

I-Ii!

Give me a kiss.

No.

What�?

No.

What about me?

Yes.

No kiss.

- I'm pouting. - You're pouting.

Do you want to read a story?

I want this.

It's broken.

You fix it

So...

Lou the wolf is waiting for his mom

but he doesn't like waiting.

Lou the wolf throws pebbles

and she tells him "Oh,

"you are wise, little Lou."

"Lou the wolf starts to howl."

- Titote. - She's coming.

It's late, isn't it'?

How about we go to bed?

I want Daddy to hug me in the living room.

Alright

Show Daddy your eyes.

They look a little tired.

Let me see those eyes.

Let me see your eyes.

I think there's a kiss coming. Look

No.

I don't want to.

Why?

Because I don't feel like it

You don't feel like getting kisses?

Algiers December 24th, 1994 Airport Houari Boumedieni

A few clouds at 1,800 feet

Overcast at 2,500 feet

Temperature of 3 degrees.

Dew point at 0.

QNH 998 hectopascals.

Some turbulence when we arrive.

We'll ask ATC to stay high as long as possible.

Alright

Let's pI�8Y~

Come on.

God is great

Restricted Area

Do you mind if we switch seats?

I'd like to sit next to my parents.

Of course.

Before going through the checklist, we'll go through

the clearance points.

Got it

Special Presidential Police.

We're checking the passports.

I'll go with you.

No, we just need a few minutes.

Hello everyone.

This is your pilot

Please stay seated.

Presidential policemen will now perform a passport check.

Take out your passports.

Do you have the passports?

Are you from Algiers?

I'm glad you're so careful.

Give me your passport

Hurry UP

You down there!

Wait!

Sit down.

What's going on?

Can I help?

No, thank you.

Alright

Get back!

We're God's soldiers!

We're huacking this plane in the name of Allah!

Cover your hair.

We are the GIA. Nobody moves, understood?

Cover yourself, I said!

For Him, we shall die!

Take off right now!

I can't The steps are still attached.

Call and tell them to remove them.

God is great!

Cover your hair.

We are the GIA.

This plane is ours. Remove the steps.

Go! if?

Remove the steps.

No. I don't know.

We just received the info...

Over 200 passengers. 4 or 5 hijackers. 4 men for sure.

- There may be a woman. - Who told you?

Balladufs team shares info. You can't understand that

Fuck you.

Transfer the important calls to the crisis unit

You have line 4.

I want to be the first to know anything.

It has GIA written all over it

The question is: what is their objective?

Our agents will contact the head.

Djamel Zitouni.

GIA works in independent units.

Months can go by before Zitouni is informed.

I want to put a face on all this and negotiate with someone.

For now

the Algerians are refusing to let the French intervene.

Find out how we can get around them.

We bring the plane back without losing any lives.

When it's in our air space,

it becomes a French issue.

This might end in a blood bath. I don't want my team to get sprayed.

Leroy. . .

Warn the GIGN.

An AF plane is taken hostage in Algiers.

We have to do an intervention drill.

They/re waiting for me.

Get ready.

And the work force?

All the men within 300 miles

are going to the barracks.

Call those on leave who haven't left yet

We want to go too.

No. I need you in the office and with the families.

Yes, Commander.

Shit

Can we give this away?

Before we go, some news from Algeria

and from France because Air France has just informed us

that a plane heading for Paris

has been stopped

at the Algiers airport and is surrounded by armed men.

I'm coming!

More on this at 8 p.m.

Thank you for watching and have a great afternoon.

I'm telling you to remove the steps.

Remove them immediately.

Take the steps away!

Let the women, children and elderly go

and we'll remove the steps.

I'll happily let the children go. They tire me out

We waste time shutting them up.

You're right

Bring me the cop.

Talk to the government

Tell them that we are demanding

that Abassi Madani and Ali Belhadj

be set free immediately.

Do you understand?

Get out

They/re waiting for you.

The President and Prime Minister will be listening.

The hijackers executed an Algerian policeman.

In Algiers, President Z�roual is withholding information.

He doesn't want the GIGN involved.

It's all happening on their soil

but a plane is legally an embassy.

How will France look if we don't do anything?

We have to show our fangs.

- Are they letting everyone go? - Just the women and children.

So?

Hov/d it go with Faviel�?

He loved me.

How long did your first mission last'?

17 hours behind a rifle.

It was freezing cold.

- 10 hours. - 10 hours?

Excuse me.

I know I shouldn't be here right now.

It's ridiculous.

I can't do it

I.m

187 oin

188 c r az Y

It's on every channel.

I don't want you to go.

I don't want that

We're just picking them up.

That's all.

I know.

So?

See you tonight

Bye Daddy.

We're not scared of you,

you bunch of harkis.

Traitors!

Don't move, stay here.

Sit down.

Don't let me down. I want a photo, a name, something concrete.

And I want it quickly.

Do you have my fax number'? Call me back.

The Spanish are letting us take position in Majorca.

An identical Airbus A300 will be waiting for us in Roissy.

Roland, take the latecomers.

Meet us in Majorca with the transall.

It just has to take off.

We all agree on that

The mastermind of the operation is Ali Touchent,

better know to us as "Tarek".

The Chrysanthemum Operation.

He's one of the big fish at FIS we were after.

He got away. He was seen in a house

in Sonacotra

but when we searched it, he had vanished.

He's rumored to be a double or triple agent

For whom?

Algeria, Russia and probably us.

What do you have in mind?

B"Yi"9 peace.

The GIA has had 3 years of civil war.

The organization has no money left We shouldn't confront them.

We have to talk to their wallets.

If we fail, we'd be financing terrorism.

Will you take out the steps?

Yes or no?

Ask them. Go on.

Algiers runway, Air France 8969. Please remove the steps.

Algiers runway, Air France 8969 This is the pilot, do you copy?

Makhlouf.

Bring me the Vietnamese man.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Aren't you ashamed?

This miscreant is near Allah.

Carole,

come to the crisis unit

We want you to explain your idea.

It all goes back to him.

Ali Touchent, a 38 year-old high-class Algerian.

He studied History at the Sorbonne and worked at the GIA.

His biggest enemy is Algiers, not Paris.

That's for sure.

- So? - So we can talk to him.

We can negotiate with him.

The DGSE gave me a contact there. He knows where Touchent is.

We just have to give him a present

How much will it cost'?

MS.

All my brothers are married.

Yahia has a son, Mustapha has three.

Even Salim...

I'm the only single one.

And that's not good.

I see you're not wearing a ring.

Yes?

My name is Carole Jeanton. I work for the Foreign Ministry.

I'm speaking in its name.

Can I ask with whom I'm speaking?

Are you Ali Touchent�?

I'll pass the information you give me to him.

Good. My superiors wish to negotiate with him.

I just need a direct line to him.

I will call this number in an hour.

Be ready to take the A4 towards Marne-la- Vall�e.

So Ali Touchent is in France?

Jacques, go with her and take over.

You watch, Carole.

If this goes wrong, it's on you.

Sunday at 8:50 p.m. on France 3.

Good evening.

Two deaths have been con?rmed by Algerian authorities.

The hostage taking of passengers

on the Algiers-Paris ?ight has become dramatic.

The aircraft has been

in the hands of 4 armed men since this morning.

The commando has let a total of 57 people go.

The facts and the ?rst footage by Zinedine Boudaoud.

Air France's A300 Airbus

has been immobilized for almost 12 hours on the Algiers runway.

The lights are off and the doors are closed...

Sunday, December 25th, 1994 Palma de Majorca Airport

Come on, it's time to get out

Quickly...

Dry yourself off a little.

Wait, honey, stay there.

Daddy.

Wait in the car.

You have no business here.

I can't protect you.

What do we do?

Do what they said: don't go faster than 30 mph.

At the next junction, follow the signs to Meaux.

Don't move. Don't move, I said!

Who's talking?

Who's talking? Answer.

It's me.

You can take it off.

If you asked to see me,

it's because you have an offer.

I'm listening.

There are 700,000 francs here.

They/re yours.

For your organization or for you personally.

Once you've taken this money

we have no control over its destination.

What do you expect from me?

Convince them to stop everything.

ls that all?

I must be too much...

of an idealist

I thought you would promise to force my government

to free my brothers.

Instead you come to me with small change.

I could slit your throat for that

You don't know who you're dealing with.

We're determined

and we won't recoil.

Even if this war lasts 1,000 years, we'll fight

Our sons will take our places.

We will hit you where and when we like.

I don't accept it but I'll keep it

We will part ways here.

Why are you in Paris?

Your Arabic is excellent

The plane will be in Paris soon. There will be a press conference.

You don't honor the Koran.

You're saying our combat is a lie.

The guards are watching you.

They/re writing down your actions.

They know what you do.

The righteous will be rewarded

but the corrupt will burn in hell

on the day of retribution.

Police.

Hands over your heads.

Police. Nobody moves!

Police. Hands over your heads.

Don't move!

You've been hit I

If you have any doubts about a man's hands, lift them.

Or a woman's hands.

God is great!

It's a suicide mission.

What does that mean?

This hijacking is different

They want the plane to crash in Paris.

Do you have proof of that'?

Touchent is in Paris but...

he didn't come to negotiate.

He just wanted a front-row seat

I think they're going to

target a symbolic place or building.

We can't act on your intuition.

All I know is that you spent the special funds.

Let's keep going.

Can the French guy drive the steps?

If you want, I can bring him over.

Can you drive?

Yes.

Open the door.

What's your name?

Yannick Beugnet

Alright, Yannick

You shouldn't be scared. Only fear God.

You'll go down and take the steps away.

You'll be free afterwards. Go!

Release the hostages.

We can talk

What's wrong?

There are jacks in the ground.

I can't take them out

Brother'?

What is it'?

I can help you.

Come here.

I know how to move the steps.

I've done it before. I work here.

I can take them away for you.

What's your job?

Customs officer.

Customs officer'? Your wallet

Sa�da Melki?

That's me.

What's this?

That's. . .

all my savings.

I'll return this when you come back

What's he doing?

Shoot!

Stop!

Give me that

Mustaphal

Enemy of God.

We are God's soldiers.

God is great!

You're all rotten!

You'll all traitors, greedy for money.

That's all you want

God's enemies.

That's all you're interested in.

Get up!

What's going on Yahia?

What's going on here?

Nobody move.

Go on, talk

Go on!

My name is Yannick Beugnet

I work at the French embassy.

Our lives are in danger.

If you don't do anything, they/ll kill us.

Do something...

I swear I'll put a bullet in his head

and throw him to you.

We're not afraid of you.

You're dealing with men who have faith

and don't ever retreat

I swear that if this goes on for a year, we'll last a year.

We are God's soldiers.

God entrusted us with this mission.

We'll hit whatever we want to hit whenever we want

Is that clear'?

So, big guy, do you have anything to say?

Yahia.

You can stop everything.

It's not too late to stop.

Please, my boy.

I love you, Mom,

but I love God more than you.

We'll see each other in paradise.

Have you thought about your boy and about me?

You can? leave like this

Don? do this

Yahia.

The Algerian government

will spare your life. All you have to do

is release the hostages.

Do you think I'm an idiot'?

You have until 9:30 p.m.

Understood?

I have a surprise for you.

Then we'll blow up this plane

and you can't do anything about it I'm losing my patience.

Open the door.

Don't do it

This miscreant is near Allah.

Madam, get in the car.

Sit down.

We are God's soldiers.

We are God's soldiers!

God is great

That's enough. Listen carefully.

A Frenchman has been killed.

If the plane doesn't take off,

we'll contact the U.N. Security Council.

Do you understand?

Go tell your president that

Early this afternoon,

Prime Minister Balladur arrived in Paris

and went to the Matignon hotel to meet the ministers.

French authorities will protect the passengers ?rst.

The government's plan of action has been clearly de?ned:

to do everything to insure that the hostages are safe,

especially the French hostages and the Air France personnel.

The Islamic commando delivered a new ultimatum.

If by 9:30 p.m.

the plane hadn�! taken off, a French person would be killed.

The ultimatum expired and 8 minutes later the commando acted.

The Frenchman Yannick Beugnet

from the French embassy in Algiers

was then killed.

As a resulL France and Algeria gave their go ahead

and at 2 a.m...

Air traffic control tower calling for AF 8969.

Air France 8969 listening.

You have authorization for take off.

If we storm the plane, I'll go in first

We're not there yet

First, we'll negotiate as much as we can.

You're doing your job. You're using political reasoning.

But they're warriors.

They don't engage in politics.

When they do, they don't negotiate.

They want two mujahideen to be set free?

Yes.

All this for two anonymous men?

Why Paris?

This operation will be unfavorable.

We didn't chose the field

or the weapons.

There will be losses.

There will be losses

and you say you want to go in first

What does that mean?

I'm listening.

As you know, in order to have electricity on board,

we used the back-up engine.

Ten tons of kerosene is not enough to get to Paris.

What does that mean?

Either we wait for Algiers to fuel the plane

or we go to Marseille, refuel, and go to Paris.

We'll go to Marseille.

I'll tell them.

At 1:45 a.m. at the Algiers airporL

3 mechanics went to the plane.

They took out the obstacles from the runway,

and removed the steps.

At 1:55 the plane began to shake.

Five minutes later, it took off.

The pilot

was in a hurry to leave.

This is just a first victory.

I spoke to the Prime Minister.

The possibility of a suicide mission concerned him.

The Ministry of Interior took over but he wants you on the case.

The plane will be escorted by two Mirage 2000s.

If it doesn't land in Marseille, it'll be shot down.

Arrival in the zone in 30 minutes.

Marseille - Marignane Airport

Good evening. The Airbus will be here in an hour.

We'll need all your people to cooperate

so that we can set up.

We detoured all air traffic

to Nice and Montpellier.

Which runway is farthest from the control towel�?

Number 3, I think Number 3.

It'll land there. We'll set up our PC OPS in the nearest hangar.

No problem. We'll set it up.

Do you have the materials we requested?

Everything's in the hangar.

I'll take you there.

It's ready.

Set up the negotiation with the Pr�fei.

I'll get on your frequency.

This is Denis. Deployment of armed back-up on the runway.

The airplane is approaching.

It just appeared over the Roses Mountain.

It has started landing.

End of mission.

The Airbus is approaching.

It's coming!

Welcome to France.

We're happy to have you here.

I'm Pr�fet Gu�rin.

ls Yahia with you?

I don�! want to talk to you.

We're going to Paris

and you will give us fuel.

You have until 9 p.m.

Not one minute longer.

I will do my best. How much kerosene do you need?

29 tons?

They need 9 for Paris.

They/re making a bomb.

More kerosene means more fire.

They want to crash into Paris.

They want to be a symbol.

They only introduced Mr. Solignac.

Who are you?

Carole Jeanton from the Foreign Ministry.

The Prime Minister sent us here to ensure that this information

is taken into consideration.

The plane will not leave Marseille.

Didier for Denis for the IDs.

Two terrorists in the cockpit.

'Boss' is the one in contact with NanardL

�Warrior� is the one

who has a Kalashnikov AK4 7.

Two terrorists in the back

�Curly� is the one in the passenger aisle.

And �Little�

is the one that looks young.

Do all the shooters copy the IDs?

Christian ok.

JP 0k.

Paris Monday December 26th , 1994

Hello?

You want me to hold? OK

Yes, I can give them to you.

30 passenger deaths, 10 GIGN deaths.

Good-bye.

What was that'?

An estimation of deaths in the case of an assault

Marignane is prepared.

We've got a problem.

The fuel workers refuse to go near the plane.

They're discussing it. It's understandable.

I don? care. It's 9:05!

Make a gesture. Let someone go.

I'm only here to get fuel.

I told you 9 p.m. It's 9:05.

Do you want to know what I'll do?

I need more time. I can? give you what I don? have, I101 sorry.

How much time?

I don? know.

At least an hour.

Fine. I want a press conference.

Denis?

Yes.

Shit

Mommy...

Where are we going?

Come on, honey, let's go.

Yes? One minute.

The Ministry of the Interior.

Yes?

Yes, sir.

No, I don't agree.

We're negotiating,

we still have arguments left

An assault would be premature.

The GIGN will intervene when we decide it's time.

Major Faviel�?

This is Carole Jeanton.

We met at the Ministry before you left for Majorca.

I understand your doubts about storming the plane.

I suggest that we establish a plan of conduct

You will intervene

if the hijackers endanger passenger lives or try to take off.

I agree.

Never do that again.

So, Pr�fet?

Clear out the ?rst rows, Yahia.

- For the journalists and cameras. - We're ready.

They can come.

Yahia,

you know that the French government is waiting for a gesture.

I will release two hostages.

That's our last gesture. When they're on the ground,

you'll have 20 mins to bring fuel.

Otherwise we'll kill everyone.

At 3:30 p.m. 2 passengers, a man and a woman,

are seen leaving the plane.

She seems weak.

They are the ?rst hostages freed since the plane landed in France.

Thank you. That's important information for us.

My daughter Leila,

she's still in the plane.

Please get her out

Get her out

I made a gesture. Now it's your turn to show us

if you're a man of your word.

Fin FY399-

The fuel workers still refuse...

Leave the fuel truck

600 feet away from here.

The driver leaves the keys and goes away.

What do you say?

I'll see if that's possible.

If I say it's possible, it is.

And I want a press conference.

There's a problem. The trucks are very big.

You need a special permit to drive them...

You're lying.

You're making all this up.

You just don? want to give us fuel

You're liars. You're conspiring against us!

Denis, Yahia is very hostile.

I think we should move in.

Their last ultimatum has almost expired.

They might act

They/re heavily armed.

We'll be fighting in a small space.

These aren't average maniacs.

There is to be no doubt in your minds

when you go in the plane.

If a colleague is hurt,

even if he's your partner,

you keep going.

Go.

Everybody take your position!

Plane moving!

Block the runway with the tanks. Start the Pumas.

Roger that.

Bolt cutter!

Tanks in position.

Runway blocked.

Position support-fire?

Support-?re in approach.

The plane has just stopped.

Lower your gun. That's it

That's the Death Prayer.

You have to act now.

Denis, what are you doing?

Shooters are taking positions.

Top, action!

It started.

Didier, confirmation?

Those in the back are going to the front

GIGNI

Nobody move.

Hands over your heads.

Hands over your heads.

Shoot

God is great!

Nobody moves.

Hands over your head.

Nobody moves Don't move!

Get up.

Strength and power only exists in God.

Don't move down there.

Shoot over here.

God is great!

Allah is the one true God!

Come on, let's go!

Shoot! Keep shooting!

Come on.

Again.

Stop. Go in the corner and hide.

On your heads. Put your hands on your head.

Get down.

Allah is the one true God!

Aim for the cockpit

Right window!

30 cm up.

Target in three seconds.

Yahia.

Die on your feet

Yahia.

Evacuation terminated.

Let's go!

Grenade!

I'm going into the plane. Stay here.

We'll go get him together.

Grenade!

There are Frenchmen in the cockpit

All the terrorists are dead. Stop shooting the cockpit

There are still Frenchmen alive.

We're French!

What's going on?

We are French.

Hold your hands up.

I want to see your hands.

Put your hands up.

I won't put my hands up in my plane.

Thierry, look at me.

Follow the light

They were called to speak

to the terrorists,

under Charles Pasqua

and it became obvious

that the only way

to save the human lives

was to storm the plane.

So that's what I decided to do.

I would like emphasize the fact

that the operation was performed

in a way that demonstrated exemplary courage

and efficiency.

I want to thank the special forces,

especially the GIGN.

The hostages that were killed

are in our thoughts,

especially Yannick BeugneL

a young French civil servant

who was killed yesterday.

Favier�s mandate ended in 1997.

He was called back in Sept. 2007

to head the new GIGN.

He used the Marignane events

to bring the unit into the 21st century.

In 2008 he was promoted to General.

Wake up, sir. Keep your eyes open.

Let's go home.

- To my house. - Yes.

Zip Up my coat, Mom.

Where's Daddy?

Thierry P. survived. He retired in Poitiers.

Shot 8 times, he still has 2 bullets in his shoulder.

He was never made major.

Following the GIGN's assault

the 172 passengers were evacuated unharmed.

9 members of the group were seriously injured.

French Intelligence concluded

that their objective was to crash into the Eiffel Tower.

Six months later, the GIA performed an attack

on the Paris St. Michel station, leaving 8 dead and 117 hurt.