As reported by abc.net.au the hunt for the Charlie Hebdo killers seems to be coming to a head: “Brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi are believed to be inside a printing business in an industrial area in Dammartin-en-Goele, around 40 kilometres from the area police were searching on Thursday. In a separate incident believed to be linked to the killing of a policewoman at a metro station, a man with suspected links to the pair is now reported to be holding five hostages in a kosher grocery store in eastern Paris in an attack which is believed to have left two people dead.” The brothers Kouachi are thought to be holding at least one hostage in the printing business as well . . .
3rd from the bottom, why is the stock folded if he isn’t in a vehicle? And these guys really should standardize.
I doubt they see a great deal of action. That would be a lot of cost for the gains. Not that I am trivializing them.
Amateur mistake. In France, nobody is “professional enough” to handle guns except for the police/military.
Now Now folks let us not disdain or French Brothers at a time of need GIGN and Military are standardized, the local police arm or dis arm at there choice. But let us not forget one US town to the next will show a difference in arms (either from money or choice). I worked with one SO that you provided your own firearm in one of three calibers the shotguns (issued) were war surplus from WWI-Vietnam, I knew there armorer who did the sn# search. Even in a city 2014 12.2M which a lot of the Adrossiments munissapals (sp)(sectors of Paris) there is not a standard firearm set I have never worked for a place like that so maybe the NYC or Dallas/Fort Worth LAX may have a standard for their firearms but I doubt it. A lot of the boys and girls in blue over there have less time or opportunity to own or shoot outside of duty. Yes I feel bad for the victims but in most cases they voted for their leaders that disarmed them sound familiar? So lets not talk too loud less we allow the same thing to happen here!
To the forces of Belle France “Salute”!!! relearn the need to kick a door and pop a cap in those that would deny you the things that are professes in the saying Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.
Bonne Chance
I always love these “Guns of (Insert whatever security theatre police action here) photo montages.
One of the main photo’s on CNN homepage the day of the attacks had two completely decked out Mil/Police members standing in front of the Eiffel Tower with their rifles at low ready and no magazines in the mag-well.
facepalm
Maybe they had one round in their pockets, Barney Fife style.
I remember seeing the same thing at CDG Airport in both 1997 and 2009. You can’t really blame the troops – they are carrying their rifles as they’ve been trained, but their higher won’t let them load a mag.
When I visited Paris 5 or 6 years ago, there were military personnel patrolling around the Eiffel Tower. I don’t remember if they had mags in or not but maybe they used an older photo of that.
Tacti-COOL!
It really bothers me to see all of the covered faces and subdued or non-existent name tags. Want police accountability? You’re definitely not going to get it that way.
For the record, my name plate is always visible in uniform, whether in my standard wear (brass plate) or the tactical gear (sewed into the uniform in contrasting colors) Hence someone could actually mention my name in an allegation, which is exactly the way we needs all cops to be.
Why do SWAT cops cover their faces? What’s the point of that?
Exactly my question, and perhaps someone can enlighten me as well why SWAT’ed up cops have to wear face coverings? It reminds me of the faceless, terrorist cowards who have committed to the barbarous acts to begin with.
Anonymity is security. If no one knows who you are, they can not retaliate against you or your family. In Columbia during the reign of terror of the drug lords like Pablo Escobar, they had “faceless judges” because so many of them were being bribed or killed that the justice system had stopped functioning in any meaningful way.
I do not condone this as it signifies that society and government has broken down (or nearing it) to a point where it is not the rule of law but is now the rule (read: tyranny) of man. How often does that work out for anyone?
Protection against debris, foreign objects, broken glass, etc. It also aids in camouflage for night time raids or any time they are entering a dark venue.
The face shields that they are ALSO wearing would seem to provide a protection role without having to render the faces un-id-able.
Camo for night op? Ok. But those pictures were not taken at night.
Rationalization fail. Sorry.
That’s interesting. I’ve managed 14 years in the LA metro area throughout all sorts of “shenanigans” with nothing covering my face other than the clear polycarbonate shield on my kevlar helmet and the gas mask when I’m in a cloud of CS. Methinks you are not an operator.
Same reason Liberian child soldiers wear wedding dresses. Superstition, instill fear in the target and confidence in the attacker. It’s all voodoo costume bullcrap.
Why do we all use a false name on the internet?
Now that is legitimate question.
I hide my identity so that some douchebag defense attorney won’t look up my words on TTAG and use them against me in a civil or criminal court case. For those of you familiar with dirty defense attorneys, they are every bit as bad as dirty politicians. I do not mention my department (which is really obvious if you look at my “choice” of duty firearm) because of the potential for a nexus to be created. My words are my own and have nothing to do with the agency I work for. Also, my department will throw me under the bus in a heartbeat, as will many employers and government agencies. As a straight white Christian man I am about as expendable as they come. It seems to me that a man’s greatest freedom is after he retires, when he can really tell the world about the people he worked for and the rules they had.
And if a fellow were to proudly proclaim his “lack of enthusiasm” for not enforcing unconstitutional laws to the “Ministry of Truth,” I can’t help but think that would go over any other way than like a fart in church. A small church with no fans.
Do we?
My 7 year-old saw some of the footage on the local news. He asked me, “are those the bad guys?” I said, “no, they’re the good guys.” His reply was, “then why are they dressed like robbers?” I didn’t really have an answer for him.
lmao great story, its amazing at the honesty and perception of children sometimes.
Swat covers their faces because “white” makes a visually apparent and quickly acquirable target. So they cover their faces, even in warm weather to prevent head shots. I got this from a SWAT commander in Las Vegas.
It is called protecting yourself and everyone acquainted with you from retaliation.
Name one SWAT officer who has ever faced retaliation from someone they personally arrested. Random psychos killing the first uniformed officers they see don’t count.
In the US, no. You are certainly correct. But in many places there is a legitimate reason to do so, the cartels in Mexico and Al Queda/ISIS type groups absolutely love to go after family members.
These guys aren’t normal police or even SWAT. GIPN is a Special Forces unit of the National Police that specialize in domestic counter-terrorism and hostage rescue. Their identities being known would be a huge security risk due to the types of people they go after.
Exactly. I appreciate everybody’s accountability talk, but they have the right to protect their family from reprisal by covering identity. Shit is really messed up out there. I don’t want these people not being able to focus properly on their job because they’re afraid their family will end up on a Jihadi hit list.
Yes, there is risk for abuse of that power. But I don’t think it’s reasonable to make themselves defenseless for the few who abuse their positions anymore than I feel citizens should be disarmed due to criminals.
I don’t know the weather in France but if it’s anything like here I’d be wearing a freakin’ ski mask too.
I agree with you, however when dealing with an Al Queda type enemy that likes to make things very personal, and has an SOP of going after family members, it makes sense. In Iraq when out on patrol we were all made to remove nametapes from our gear because they will learn who you are.
6th pic down, interesting that those GIGN guys carry 2 pistols. Also interesting that the service sized pistol is on a lanyard.
No kidding. Two pistols and one’s on a leash. Someones got a case of the butter fingers, probably too many croissants.
I noticed that too, I like their style. One can never bring too many guns to the party.
True, just seems uncommon among operator types. A loaded Glock 19 does not weigh that much and these type of operations do not usually last long.
I once had the chance to watch a couple of MARSOC operators (MARSOC = Marine Special Operations Command, the USMC version of SEALs/Green Berets/etc) debate where to stow their handgun. One said chest holster: you only need to move your hand a few inches to transition from firing a shouldered long arm to drawing your handgun. The other said thigh holster: the pistol butt is right where your hand hangs naturally when you’re standing or walking. A third guy butted in that an acquaintance of his preferred a belt holster, because a pistol at the waist split the difference.
Clearly the French are not a people who compromise (um, any more?): chest holster AND thigh holster!
I realize SWAT and SOF are apples and oranges (as are Paris vs. Afghanistan), but the MARSOC guys carried a ton of rifle mags, while the GIGN dudes seem to only be carrying pistol mags, or maybe one or two rifle mags.
It’s a common theme for units that use ballistic shields. The shield guy go dry instead of some wacky one handed reload while holding a heavy ballistic shield, just drop and switch guns.
Which brings me to the question, what do you call a New York reload en France?
Le Royal
Surprised to see so many G-36 variants here.
Yah, very interesting. Though not surprising I guess, since H&K sells to everybody in Europe.
…not sure about ‘everybody…’
Once again repeatable Big Terror wins again. 14 dead, the world media cowering, and a regiment of state warriors dress in black, adorned with every tact gadget, hunting a total of 4 murderous religious wackos.
Deny citizens the right to protect oneself, claim protection, failed to protect, feign outrage, assemble response, find wacko’s, kill wackos, legislators pass more ineffectual laws…lather, rinse, repeat.
What kind of sub machine gun is in the top photo? It kinda reminds me of a grease gun.
Based on its stock and shape, it’s a Beretta Model 12.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta_M12
Thanks, man!
Man, that thing is ancient. But heck, might still be better than the FAMAS
Gendarme on Fox, live this AM, in full battle-rattle, armed with one of the new French Ruger Mini-14s.
I noticed that, too…nice to see that wood furniture is still tacticool.
The French police have some history with the Mini-14.
If you do a Google Image Search on “french police Ruger mini-14”, one of the first pictures will be from an incident in 2012, and shows a Mini-14 with a wood stock – and an M1 carbine slot style sling holder.
It doesn’t have to be black and plastic; it needs to work.
Capture them aive (gas the places), take them up on a plane and push them out the door with no parachute, record the incident and put it up on youtube… let’s see who next will volunteer for Jihad.
Make sure the plane is piloted by a woman, and they get pushed out by a woman.
The planes should be piloted by women, but the Jihadists should be pushed out the door by a herd of pigs.
Bodies slathered with pigs blood with a GPS guidance attached, herded out the hatch and impacting on that rock they all keep walking around.
Plane piloted by a woman
Terrorist pushed out of plane by a Jew
Bodies land on farm owned by gay man
into a pig pen where the pigs eat the carcasses
That’s a bit over the top.
One of the pigs might fall out.
Someone please tell me the Kurds aren’t the only ones waging this psychological warfare along with the regular warfare. Please tell me it’s somebody’s official military policy somewhere to use pig grease/fat/blood. Because that would be lovely.
Make that Jewish women, please. And after the first one goes, take the second on a quick flyby to see the mess his brother made. Then leave them for a week, since their “religion” requires them to be buried by sunset.
Wow- it would be great to push a bunch of jewish women(and men) out of a plane (sans ‘chute-of course).
Surprised that they allow Serpa style holsters mounted on chest rigs. I believe a number of agencies and tactical shooting schools have banned them altogether.
Saw a few women in the police force.
And once again, the MSM with video of the whole operation making sure the perps know what’s going on. France 24 shows police on roof, obviously no situational control of the AO.
Looks like the French police brought out all of their safe queens.
12th picture down from the top, the second dude seems to be carrying a Glock with a 30+ round mag lol. Awesome
All gunned up and ready to party French style….But Looks like the typical Marijuana raid in anytown USA.
OK, boys, you’ve had your fun teasing the Frenchies. I’ll give them some credit, though, as at least I’m seeing some fit operators there. Stark contrast to some of the tubbies called out to hunt Dorner in L.A. or the Brothers Tsarnaev in Boston.
The Paris po-po may buy their balaclavas by the gross, but at least they’re not downing baklavas by the baker’s dozen. I’m just sayin’.
Is this website about guns or pictures? I am very, very disappointed that this is without identification of the firearms.
The idea is for you to ID them!
A little surprised by the low numbers of FAMAS….
When you’re unarmed you have no option but to be a hostage when the dude with the AK shows up. Did we learn a lesson from this, boys and girls?
Im surprised at the amount of AR style rifles as I thought the Famas was le pain et le beurre en France. I do agree with Johnathan above, it does seem like they have a much less round collection of guys in full kit than I see in US photos.
The pump 12 with the folded stock and vertical foregrip Jaques is holding there looks like a Fabarm from Italy.
Missed the Mini-14 variant that the boys from the CRS carry.
FAMAS porn!
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