In the case of the explosion in Lebanon, which has killed dozens of wounded French, eleven members of the PTS and eleven investigators of the judicial police have been dispatched.
After the double explosion in Beirut or the deadly attack against humanitarian aid workers in Niger, the French investigators were dispatched on site to conduct “investigations ” mirrors” that are intended to supplement the investigations being carried out by the local authorities.
on Saturday, investigators sent to Niger must return to Paris after several days in search of clues about the murder of six French aid and their supporters nigerians last Sunday during a sightseeing excursion not far from Niamey. Those still on the ground in Beirut have enabled the identification of a second death French among the 171 people killed in the double explosion in Beirut on 4 August, it was learnt on Friday.
Survey “mirror”
This cooperation is possible when the French are among the victims – dead or injured – an attack, an accident or a natural disaster abroad. A magistrate may then open an investigation in France and make a request for mutual assistance in criminal matters international (Dépi) in the country where the events took place, ” explains Jean-Jacques Colombi, advisor to the director general of the national police and former chief of the division of international relations. If the country accepts, it allows you to send investigators in support of local investigators. “It is a device used dozens of times per year”, according to Jean-Jacques Colombi.
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“The Dépi allows French investigators to go out to the role of mere observer”, he explains, “they may conduct hearings, perform a number of expertise, and to order post-mortem examinations in France”. In their jargon, the investigators call this “mirror survey”. The French expertise is put at the service of the police and local justice of the country who do not always have the resources, including the scientific.
In Niger, France has sent six investigators from the Directorate general of internal security (ISB), the other two belonging to the sub-directorate anti-terrorism, and three members of the police technical and scientific (PTS).
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On the spot the police can investigate, interview witnesses, consult the minutes but may not make arrests. In the “mirror survey”, they give the items to local investigators. The scientific police, for its part, will study the impacts of bullets, to search for traces of DNA, attempt to reconstruct the scene.
In the case of the explosion in Lebanon, which has also made dozens of wounded French, eleven members of the PTS and eleven investigators of the judicial police were dispatched on the spot.
Identification of the victims
The scientific police has three operational units : the national unit of intervention (40 people), the police victim identification (100 people) and the findings in contaminated environments or toxic, the Constox (50 people).
“In Lebanon, we have sent members of the three units, not knowing at the outset whether there was a risk of a contaminated environment”, explains Dominique Abbenanti, assistant to the central police technical and scientific.
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Has support for these scientists to gather as many clues as possible to identify the victims : fingerprints or DNA on the corpses unrecognizable, but also reconstitution of the missing persons file to cross them with the clues found on site. “The identification of victims is done according to an international protocol validated by Interpol and which has in particular been enriched since the attacks” of the 13-November, ” explains Dominique Abbenanti.
The investigators may also help to reconstruct the events through levies, but also a series of panoramic photos of places, including the crater created by the blast.
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Double explosion in Beirut
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“The Dépi is only a visible part of the Iceberg of international cooperation. Last year, police and gendarmes have exchanged 465 000 messages with the fonts in the world”, points out Jean-Jacques Colombi.
