"Do you hear their cries, their suffering? It's to make you feel the fear that the people in Syria feel everyday," a hostage identified as Sebastian told La Provence newspaper, recounting the attackers' words.
"This is war. And it is just the beginning. We will kill the innocent!" recalled the survivor, who has become a local hero for saving the life of a pregnant woman trapped in the chaos.
For over an hour the people who survived the initial burst of violence at the Bataclan concert hall, where 89 were killed, were held hostage by three jihadist gunmen.
The terrified concert-goers listened -- and were forced to agree -- as the assailants' preached and asked the hostages' approval for the killing.
"They asked us if we agreed with them. I'll let you imagine the lingering silence of that moment," Sebastian told RTL radio.
"The most timid nodded their heads and the most daring said 'Yes.'"
According to Sebastian's account, the attackers seemed disorganised and ill-prepared.
When the assailants spoke with a police negotiator on one of the hostages' phones they had no real demands, except for the authorities to stay back.
While the assailants threatened to kill a hostage every five minutes and dump the corpse out a window, they also allowed firefighters into the building to remove some of the wounded.
"They asked us to serve as look outs, to yell at the police to stay back and that if not they would blow up their explosive vests, which they didn't have," said Sebastian, contradicting authorities' claims the attackers blew themselves up.
And as police surrounded the building in a trendy east Paris neighbourhood, the shooters forced the hostages to call reporters at French TV stations, but no one managed to reach anyone.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
