Jacques Tillier
Encyclopedia
Jacques Tillier is a French
journalist
. He is the managing editor of the l'Union, L'Est-Éclair, Libération Champagne and L'Aisne Nouvelle. He was seriously injured in 1979 by Jacques Mesrine
while working for the Minute
. He was also director of the Journal de l'île de La Réunion before becoming the CEO of L'Union de Reims.
, head of the central office for combating banditry(OCRB), he began to write articles that contradicted the “honorable gangster” image conveyed by Jacques Mesrine, who in France was public enemy number one. In spite of Mesrine threats, Tillier continued to publish articles refuting Mesrine's image as a modern day Robin Hood.
Tillier gained an exclusive interview with Mesrine on 10 September 1979, but Mesrine and his accomplice, Charlie Bauer, drove Tillier to a candlelit cave in the Forest of Halatte
, where they forced him to strip naked before handcuffing him. Mesrine beat, tortured and humiliated Tillier, claiming that he was a fascist and police informant. He then shot Tillier three times with a revolver; first in the face, "to stop him talking crap", then in the arm "to stop him writing crap" and finally in the leg "for the pleasure of it". He took pictures as Tillier lay naked and bloodied, and left him for dead.
Tillier survived the ordeal, although he lost the use of one arm. After two weeks in hospital he returned to Minute, but eventually decided to leave the weekly. He became advisor to Paul Biya
, President
of the Republic of Cameroon, and Lansana Conte
in Guinea
. Tillier then returned to journalism and worked on the Journal of the Island Reunion (JIR), where in the early 1990s he was appointed editor. JIR was bought by France Antilles, a subsidiary of the Groupe Hersant Média. Tillier subsequently became its director and CEO.
In his editorial published on 9 February 2008, entitled On s'en tamponne mister Président, he announced his departure from the Journal of the island of Reunion. He became the CEO of the daily L'Union de Reims in 2008.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. He is the managing editor of the l'Union, L'Est-Éclair, Libération Champagne and L'Aisne Nouvelle. He was seriously injured in 1979 by Jacques Mesrine
Jacques Mesrine
Jacques Mesrine was the most famous criminal in modern French history. He was responsible for numerous bank robberies, burglaries, and kidnappings in France and Canada. Mesrine repeatedly escaped from prison and made international headlines during a final period as a fugitive when his exploits...
while working for the Minute
Minute (French newspaper)
Minute is a weekly newspaper, initially right-wing but now extreme-right, circulated in France since 1962. Its editorial position is satirical and conservative. According to figures announced by the paper's leadership, it had a circulation of 40,000 copies each week in 2006.- Right-wing period :In...
. He was also director of the Journal de l'île de La Réunion before becoming the CEO of L'Union de Reims.
Biography
After several years as a police officer in the Directorate of Territorial Security (DST), Tillier pursued a career as a journalist, first writing for Minute, a right-wing weekly journal. Using his past police connections and his friendship with Commissioner Lucien Aimé-BlancLucien Aimé-Blanc
Lucien Aimé-Blanc is a former French police officer. He was vice chief of staff of the Antigang brigade and also of the Narcotics brigade. He led the Office central de répression du banditisme ....
, head of the central office for combating banditry(OCRB), he began to write articles that contradicted the “honorable gangster” image conveyed by Jacques Mesrine, who in France was public enemy number one. In spite of Mesrine threats, Tillier continued to publish articles refuting Mesrine's image as a modern day Robin Hood.
Tillier gained an exclusive interview with Mesrine on 10 September 1979, but Mesrine and his accomplice, Charlie Bauer, drove Tillier to a candlelit cave in the Forest of Halatte
Forest of Halatte
The Forest of Halatte in Picardie is one of the largest remaining blocks of natural old growth forest in France. Situated in the département of Oise near Senlis and Pont-Sainte-Maxence, it currently embraces 43 square kilometers. Together with the Forest of Chantilly and the Forest of Ermenonville...
, where they forced him to strip naked before handcuffing him. Mesrine beat, tortured and humiliated Tillier, claiming that he was a fascist and police informant. He then shot Tillier three times with a revolver; first in the face, "to stop him talking crap", then in the arm "to stop him writing crap" and finally in the leg "for the pleasure of it". He took pictures as Tillier lay naked and bloodied, and left him for dead.
Tillier survived the ordeal, although he lost the use of one arm. After two weeks in hospital he returned to Minute, but eventually decided to leave the weekly. He became advisor to Paul Biya
Paul Biya
Paul Biya is a Cameroonian politician who has been the President of Cameroon since 6 November 1982. A native of Cameroon's south, Biya rose rapidly as a bureaucrat under President Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1960s, serving as Secretary-General of the Presidency from 1968 to 1975 and then as Prime...
, President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the Republic of Cameroon, and Lansana Conte
Lansana Conté
Lansana Conté was the second President of Guinea from 3 April 1984 until his death. He was a Muslim and a member of the Susu ethnic group.-Early life:...
in Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
. Tillier then returned to journalism and worked on the Journal of the Island Reunion (JIR), where in the early 1990s he was appointed editor. JIR was bought by France Antilles, a subsidiary of the Groupe Hersant Média. Tillier subsequently became its director and CEO.
In his editorial published on 9 February 2008, entitled On s'en tamponne mister Président, he announced his departure from the Journal of the island of Reunion. He became the CEO of the daily L'Union de Reims in 2008.