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The fiancée of Laurent Bonomo wrote yesterday of her grief and wish for revenge in a heartfelt message posted on the internet as anxious parents in France urged their offspring to come home from Britain.
Mary Bertez, who intended to marry Laurent Bonomo after he returned to France, wrote on his profile page on Facebook, the social networking website, that she thought about her fiancé “every second”.
Her grief was echoed by dozens of friends who described Mr Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez as being “full of life and looking forward to getting home”.
Miss Bertez, a student at the University of Valenciennes, referred to her boyfriend as her “doudou” - her teddy bear.
“My love, unfortunately I was not there that night, we who are always together,” she wrote yesterday afternoon. “I do not stop thinking about you every second. . . I have lived ten months of happiness that I never lived until then. Today you left.
“I will give all necessary information for the investigation, my dear, so that you can be avenged. I love my ‘dou-dou’ from the bottom of my heart.”
She wrote her message as fearful families in France asked colleges to cut short their children’s student placements in Britain.
Claude-Gilles Dussap, the director of the prestigious Clermont-Ferrand Polytechnic - affiliated to the École Polytechnique, which was founded in 1794 and is regarded as France’s foremost engineering institution - said families had expressed acute concern for the safety of their children.
“We’ve had families ringing to tell us to bring their children back from Britain and other European countries,” Mr Dussap told The Times. “This is going to leave its mark. There will obviously be a problem with England now. We are going to have to work very hard to overcome that and that is why we need the investigation to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible.”
Mr Dussap said that Mr Bonomo and Mr Ferez were popular students with many friends, and promising futures in engineering . “I knew Laurent Bonomo very well because he was head of the students’ union for a year and we spent two or three hours a week together at this very table,” he said, sitting in his first-floor office.
The polytechnic has set up a psychological unit to help students to overcome their shock.
A close friend of the two men said that they had been in good spirits when he spoke to them last week. Antoine Galloux, 23, said that they were preparing to resume their lives in France. “Both Gabriel and Laurent were looking forward to getting back to France at the end of July, ” he said. “Laurent was going to continue his studies in bioengineering in Lille, while Gabriel wanted to start a doctorate back in Clermont-Ferrand.”
Mr Galloux broke down in tears as he described Gabriel as his best friend. “We were extremely close. None of us can believe what happened. No one would expect something like this to happen in a city like London.”
The news of the students’ murders reached the Clermont-Ferrand campus on Monday, but friends refused to believe the rumours. The gradual realisation of the truth is played out on Mr Bonomo’s Facebook profile. Caroline Durand, a fellow student, pleaded with her friend to scotch rumours as “damned stupidity”. She wrote: “Reassure me!”
The truth was confirmed by Aurelien Jeandot, another friend, who said that Mr Bonomo’s mother and fiancée had called him on Sunday night because they were worried. Mrs Bonomo called again on Monday afternoon to confirm the worst. Students at the university were overwhelmed when the death was announced there on Tuesday.
Murati Cedric, a friend from school, said that he was sure Mr Bonomo would rest in peace. “You were one of my best pals, and I am certain that all those who knew you from this time will join with me to say that you are a great sort, interesting and funny. We will not forget you.”
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I think I may have to move to France - apparantly people never get robbed and murdered there!
David, London, UK
if this sickening event doesn't prompt the PM to introduce a mandatory prison term for knife-possession then his legacy will read -economy, non-existent and crime infinitely worse.
j wilson, KILMARNOCK, scotland
Tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime.
Mike, Bristol,
This very sad and another example of violent crime on our streets - however this has nothing to do with under policing or lenient prison sentences.
More worringly these sort of crimes mark a decline in family values where our nation's youth are not taught right/wrong, respect for others.
Matt, Marlborough,
"Ah, the very best of multi-culturalism!" That would be an american responce! Who are you refering too, the unknown perpetrators or the two non british victims
T.Andre, London,
I can understand the families reactions. However i'it purely emotional and having spent a few days in London three months ago with my wife and three children I've not felt a sentiment of insecurity, at least not more than in any big comparable town.
This sad event could happen In Paris as well.
Bruno, Paris, France
This is a most awful crime, my sympathy to the families of the men who were murdered. But I'm not ashamed to be English. I don't break the law and I know plenty of other people in England who don't either. So, David Expat ,if you want to see a breakdown in law and order go to Zimbabwe.
Mark, Plymouth,
In Brazil there are criminality because of the misery and inequalities between rich and poor.
What's the problem in London where the criminality is becoming worse than ever?
Ana Perlini, London, UK
I understand the families' concern, but their reaction makes little sense. People get murdered in all European countries, as very rightly pointed out by Dan below. OK, the UK has a problem with knives at the moment, but I'd still feel safer in London than I would in Paris' northern suburbs.
Yannick, Lille, France
It could be happen every where in big cities, like Paris or NY.
Violence and murder are unfortunatly the propre of human kind
Vincent, Bordeaux, France
I understand this french women anger, but for the rest of us life has to go on as normal.
After all our school children still holiday in France even though an english girl was raped and killed in France by a Spaniard.
Its not the country, its the individual that harm.
Dan, London, England
I live in France and I was asked for advice by my neighbours whose 18 year old daughter was going to England to improve her English, I said that law and order had basically collapsed and that she needed to be very careful. How true...
David Expat, Lyon, France
Speaking as an expat, I feel ashamed also. England has become a horribly violent place.
Artemis, Paris, France
It's what you get for electing the likes of Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson instead of Richard Barnbrook.
Jack Ireland, Yeppoon, Oz
Panic, paniic, panic.
Home office stats for period 1998-2000 shows Paris had a homicide rate of 2.9 per 100,000 and London 2.4.
Have they all returned from the US? - Washington homicide rate 41.78 per 100,000 for same period.
Makes me proud to be English.
Eddie Reader, birmingham, england
It's about time we took a long a long hard look at ourselves and introduced some serious reforms. We are heading for an abyss, we need serious action, less red tape and more bobbies on the beat.
I am sorry for loss of the children of 2 families, I am ashamed to be British!
Mark, Yorkshire, England
I am English but I love France and my French neighbours. I am deeply ashamed that this should happen here to people who were our guests and who were undertaking honest and serious work. What have we become?
John Stobart, Oakham, Rutland,
Ah, the very best of multi-culturalism!
Ed, Jersey City, USA