25-year-old abdul abdullah yahia, also known as "the emir", was a petty thief and greengrocer from the bab el oued neighbourhood of algiers. the negotiators said that yahia spoke "approximate" french and always ended his sentences in "insha'allah" ("god willing"). several passengers said all but one of the hijackers had no beards and closely cropped hair. a woman said that the men "were polite and correct" and that they "had the determined air of cold-blooded killers". another passenger said the hijackers "seemed excited, very euphoric" and that they told the occupants that they would teach the french and the world a lesson and show what they were capable of doing.