To divert the attention of the prison staff, some armed men showed up at the entrance of the prison to demand the release of the criminal. At the same time, a helicopter landed in the prison courtyard. Faïd’s brother Rachid, who took a helicopter pilot hostage to help him escape, was given ten years.
At the time of his escape, Faïd was serving a 25-year prison sentence for armed robbery and the murder of a policewoman. French Justice Minister Nicole Belloubet said at the time that the escape may have been prepared for a long time.
Three months after the escape, Faïd was captured again. The police and about 80 men raided an apartment in Creil, north of Paris, where he turned out to be staying.