France terror attack: Hero policeman married hours before he died

A police officer who took the place of a hostage during a terror attack at a French supermarket married his partner while on his death bed.

Lieutenant Colonel Arnaud Beltrame voluntarily swapped himself for a female store worker during Friday's siege.

The 44-year-old officer died in hospital from his injuries after being shot three times by radical Islamist Redouane Lakdim in Trebes, southwest France.

A mass was held, paying tribute to the victims of the attack.

It has emerged that hours before his death Lt Col Beltrame married his partner Marielle in a ceremony at a hospital in Carcassonne.

According to reports, the couple had been planning a church wedding in June after they met during a tour of an abbey in France in 2016.

Father Jean-Baptiste said the couple had spent some 30 hours preparing for their marriage ceremony.

He said: "I gave him the sacrament of marriage, and the sacrament of the sick."

Ladkim, 25, was shot dead by police after Lt Col Beltrame left his mobile phone on so colleagues could hear what was happening inside the supermarket.

Image: Redouane Lakdim was shot dead by police

A national tribute is to take place at a later date for Lt Col Beltrane, who President Emmanuel Macron said had "died a hero" and deserved "the respect and admiration of the whole nation".

The officer's brother, Cedric, said he had given his life "for strangers" and knew he had "almost no chance" of surviving. "he did not hesitate one second," Mr Beltrame told RTL radio.

"He did what needed to be done and thanks to him, many lives were saved and yes, I think the word hero is very appropriate."

The officer's mother, who has not been named, said she was "not surprised" by her son's actions, saying: "He's always been like that."

Image: Rescue forces and police officers after the hostage situation in Trebes

"It's someone, since he was born, who gives everything for his homeland."

Mr Macron said of Lt Col Beltrame: "In giving his life to end the deadly plan of a jihadi terrorist, he fell as a hero."

Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "saddened" by the officer's death, adding: "His sacrifice and courage will never be forgotten."

Britain's ambassador to France, Ed Llewellyn, also paid tribute, saying Lt Col Beltrame "gave his life to save the lives of others" and was "truly a hero".

Samia Menassi, the manager of the supermarket targeted in the attack, said her colleague who was swapped for Lt Col Beltrame during the siege was in a "catastrophic state".

Image: Supermarket manager Samia Menassi said her colleague was in a 'catastrophic state'

Lt Col Beltrame, who joined France's elite police special forces in 2003 and served in Iraq in 2005, had reportedly organised a training session last December to prepare for hostage situations.

Mr Macron said investigators will focus on establishing how Morocco-born Lakdim obtained his weapon and how he became radicalised.

Lakdim was known to police for petty crimes and drug dealing and had been on a watch list from 2014, according to France's prosecutor Francois Molins, but he was not believed to be preparing any terrorist acts.

Islamic State has claimed the atrocity was in response to its call to target Western enemies.

Image: French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe speak after the terror attack

Lakdim hijacked a car in the city of Carcassonne - seriously wounding the driver and killing the passenger - before driving toward Trebes.

He shot at police officers before hiding in the supermarket, taking several people hostage.

During the resulting stand-off with police, Lakdim demanded the release of Salah Abdeslam - the only surviving member of the Islamic State cell that attacked Paris in 2015.

Lakdim killed two people before giving up most of the hostages, keeping one woman as a human shield, who Lt Col Beltrame traded places with.

Police have detained a 17-year-old boy, who was allegedly a friend of Lakdim, in connection with the terror attack.

Another woman who was also allegedly connected to the attacker was taken into custody on Friday.