about the body, see how they react, I’ll soon find out.
At the police station, Lieutenant Émile Lambert bustles about, conscious of his responsibilities. He interviews the first witness.
Robert Duffaut, born 10 August 1963 in Nantes.
Residing at 29 rue d’Auxonne, Nancy. Profession:
Security guard employed by 3G, based in Nancy since 3 March 1996.
The witness states he was sent to the Daewoo factory by his security company, 3G in Nancy, to provide backup for the company’s permanent team of two security guards, who are employed by the same company, 3G, and who were confronted with disturbances among the personnel which they believed could turn dangerous if security were not maintained.
He states he arrived on the premises at 15.00 hours, accompanied by his colleague. They immediately started patrolling the premises, and continued to do so until 21.30 hours, when they returned to the porter’s lodge to make their report. They were both still there when the fire alarm went off at 21.43 hours.
Q. Who raised the alarm?
A. A man came running in. He was shouting: ‘The place is on fire,’ and pointing towards the warehouses. I don’t know this man’s name.
Q. When you were doing your rounds, did you notice any particular incidents or suspicious behaviour?
A. I would like to mention that around 15.15 hours, my colleague and I walked past the waste ground behind the factory, and there, a young North African-looking individual had set up a barbecue and was selling kebabs. This barbecue was about ten metres from the place where the fire started a little later. We made a few inquiries. This individual is called Karim Bouziane.
Q. In your opinion, could this barbecue have had something to do with the outbreak of the fire?
A. I think so. Furthermore, around 19.00 hours, aminor dustbin fire was reported in the main corridor between the factory and the warehouse. It was quickly extinguished by members of the Health and Safety committee before we arrived on the scene. When we arrived a few minutes later, we noted that embers had been thrown into the dustbin, intentionally or otherwise, and were certainly the cause of the dustbin fire. As far as we could ascertain, those embers came from the barbecue.
I must also inform you that around 17.00 hours, we patrolled the stockrooms and we noted that a group of several individuals were smoking marijuana in the vicinity of highly flammable packaging materials.
Q. Do you know who their dealer is?
A. We have no proof, but the name bandied around by those smoking is once again that of Karim Bouziane. Apparently he sold the dope along with his sausages.
Q. In your view, could Karim Bouziane have set fire to the factory?
A. There’s no concrete proof. I don’t know if he did, or why he would want to. But in any case, he had the wherewithal.
Q. Among your colleagues, or the individuals present during the day in question, did you hear any names being mentioned as possible instigators of the fire?
A. I did not talk to any Daewoo personnel after the fire. But the name being whispered among the workers is that of Karim Bouziane.
Q. Is there anything else you would like to mention?
A. No. Nothing else comes to mind.
‘Nice work, Lieutenant Lambert‚’ comments the superintendent . ‘You see the effectiveness of this method. Karim Bouziane may be a serious lead. But let’s not rush, let’s be methodical. You carry on listening to what people have to tell you, but if they don’t spontaneously mention Karim Bouziane, you ask them discreetly about him, his barbecue and his dope dealing.’
The door of the superintendent’s office is flung open; a very young, podgy uniformed officer bursts into the room, a terrified look on his face. The superintendent protests.
‘Dumont, you don’t enter my office without knocking.’ Then, concerned: ‘What’s going on?’
‘An anonymous phone call, superintendent. A body near the entrance to the mine above Pondange.’
The
At the police station, Lieutenant Émile Lambert bustles about, conscious of his responsibilities. He interviews the first witness.
Robert Duffaut, born 10 August 1963 in Nantes.
Residing at 29 rue d’Auxonne, Nancy. Profession:
Security guard employed by 3G, based in Nancy since 3 March 1996.
The witness states he was sent to the Daewoo factory by his security company, 3G in Nancy, to provide backup for the company’s permanent team of two security guards, who are employed by the same company, 3G, and who were confronted with disturbances among the personnel which they believed could turn dangerous if security were not maintained.
He states he arrived on the premises at 15.00 hours, accompanied by his colleague. They immediately started patrolling the premises, and continued to do so until 21.30 hours, when they returned to the porter’s lodge to make their report. They were both still there when the fire alarm went off at 21.43 hours.
Q. Who raised the alarm?
A. A man came running in. He was shouting: ‘The place is on fire,’ and pointing towards the warehouses. I don’t know this man’s name.
Q. When you were doing your rounds, did you notice any particular incidents or suspicious behaviour?
A. I would like to mention that around 15.15 hours, my colleague and I walked past the waste ground behind the factory, and there, a young North African-looking individual had set up a barbecue and was selling kebabs. This barbecue was about ten metres from the place where the fire started a little later. We made a few inquiries. This individual is called Karim Bouziane.
Q. In your opinion, could this barbecue have had something to do with the outbreak of the fire?
A. I think so. Furthermore, around 19.00 hours, aminor dustbin fire was reported in the main corridor between the factory and the warehouse. It was quickly extinguished by members of the Health and Safety committee before we arrived on the scene. When we arrived a few minutes later, we noted that embers had been thrown into the dustbin, intentionally or otherwise, and were certainly the cause of the dustbin fire. As far as we could ascertain, those embers came from the barbecue.
I must also inform you that around 17.00 hours, we patrolled the stockrooms and we noted that a group of several individuals were smoking marijuana in the vicinity of highly flammable packaging materials.
Q. Do you know who their dealer is?
A. We have no proof, but the name bandied around by those smoking is once again that of Karim Bouziane. Apparently he sold the dope along with his sausages.
Q. In your view, could Karim Bouziane have set fire to the factory?
A. There’s no concrete proof. I don’t know if he did, or why he would want to. But in any case, he had the wherewithal.
Q. Among your colleagues, or the individuals present during the day in question, did you hear any names being mentioned as possible instigators of the fire?
A. I did not talk to any Daewoo personnel after the fire. But the name being whispered among the workers is that of Karim Bouziane.
Q. Is there anything else you would like to mention?
A. No. Nothing else comes to mind.
‘Nice work, Lieutenant Lambert‚’ comments the superintendent . ‘You see the effectiveness of this method. Karim Bouziane may be a serious lead. But let’s not rush, let’s be methodical. You carry on listening to what people have to tell you, but if they don’t spontaneously mention Karim Bouziane, you ask them discreetly about him, his barbecue and his dope dealing.’
The door of the superintendent’s office is flung open; a very young, podgy uniformed officer bursts into the room, a terrified look on his face. The superintendent protests.
‘Dumont, you don’t enter my office without knocking.’ Then, concerned: ‘What’s going on?’
‘An anonymous phone call, superintendent. A body near the entrance to the mine above Pondange.’
The
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