Three inmates have been apprehended for allegedly threatening to assassinate former French President Nicolas Sarkozy. This development follows the surfacing of videos where prisoners pledged vengeance for the death of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

The suspects, whose identities have not been disclosed, share the same prison as the 70-year-old Sarkozy at La Santé in Paris. Sarkozy is serving a five-year sentence for allegedly conspiring to accept illicit funds from the late Libyan leader, Gaddafi.

Following the circulation of the videos on social media, police swiftly conducted searches of the prisoners’ cells. The footage includes chilling threats directed at Sarkozy, the former French head of state.

In one of the clips, references are made to Sarkozy along with Ziad Takieddine, a former Lebanese arms dealer who died under suspicious circumstances earlier this year. Takieddine had been accused of acting as an intermediary between Gaddafi and Sarkozy.

An unidentified inmate can be heard in the video from La Santé, declaring, “Sarko, he’s right there, in an isolated area. He’s all alone in his cell. And we know everything – we’re going to avenge Gaddafi. We know everything, Sarko, Ziad Takieddine, we know everything. Give back the billions of dollars.”

The events trace back to 2011 when RAF and French Air Force jets spearheaded a bombing campaign that culminated in Gaddafi’s violent death at the hands of a mob. At that time, David Cameron was the British Prime Minister and had visited Libya alongside Sarkozy.

There have been claims that Sarkozy wanted his old friend and ally dead because of his potential to produce incriminating evidence.

Following the threats, on Thursday, a spokesman for Paris prosecutors said: ‘Three inmates at the Santé prison were taken into custody following threats being made upon the arrival of Nicolas Sarkozy.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy left his home on Tuesday to head to prison in Paris where he will serve time for a criminal conspiracy to finance his 2007 election campaign with funds from Libya

Three inmates were arrested for threatening to kill the former French president Nicolas Sarkozy in a video which circulated online

‘An administrative search was carried out of their cells by the prison administration, during which two phones were seized.’ The spokesman said a formal investigation had been opened into ‘death threats.’

Laurent Nuñez, France’s Interior Minister, has now sent two police to move into the cell next door to look after Sarkozy following the ‘frightening’ first night in prison.  

Within hours, another video appeared online showing prisoners shouting insults at ‘Little Nikola’ (sic), who is just under 5ft 5ins tall. The person filming laughs continually at shouts of ‘Call Sarko!’ and ‘Show us your head!’

Several other prisoners are said to be trying to keep Sarkozy up all night in his cell, which has a window looking directly out on to the prison yard. 

This behaviour sparked Nuñez to order two officers from the VIP Protection Service, the SDLP, to occupy the ‘cell next door to the former president’s for 24 hours a day.’

One of the senior prison guards said there was widespread anger among staff at them being there. He explained: ‘We are all highly professional officers, and do not need support from police.

‘Mr Sarkozy is in his own cell, where he is perfectly safe. He sleeps, eats and showers there, and only goes out for an hour a day to walk.’

Nuñez added on Wednesday: ‘It’s a decision by the Minister of the Interior. I’m responsible for the security of high-ranking officials.

‘It’s a decision aimed at ensuring his safety, in addition to everything else implemented by the prison administration.

‘The former President of the Republic has a protection system in place given his status and the threats he faces.’  

Among who shared one of the videos was National Rally politician Marine Le Pen.

She wrote: ‘I have no doubt that some must be delighted by this situation. But I want to believe that millions of French people feel, like me, disgust.’

The disgraced French ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy spent his first night in prison being mocked for his height and screamed at by fellow inmates

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy left their Paris home on Tuesday as he went to prison to serve time for a criminal conspiracy to finance his 2007 election campaign with funds from Libya

Ms Le Pen is herself a convicted criminal, facing four years in prison for embezzling millions from the European parliament. She has appealed sentence, and is accordingly free on bail until there is a judgment in her case. 

Carla Bruni, Sarkozy’s third wife, has already visited Sarkozy in prison, after lawyers confirmed his nights there were ‘frightening’.

Sarkozy was found guilty of accepting millions in illegal cash from Gaddafi, so as to win office for five years, between 2007 and 2012.

He is currently serving a five year term, but has also been convicted for two earlier offences, while facing further criminal enquiries.

Sarkozy is now the first French head of state to go to a prison cell since Marshall Philippe Pétain, the wartime Nazi collaborator.

Sarkozy is spending most of his time alone in a 29-foot-square cell equipped with a shower, bed, small desk, a landline phone, and TV, which will cost him the equivalent of £13 a month to watch.

He is allowed one solitary walk a day alone, in a small yard, but does not have a mobile phone.

Sarkozy used to be Interior Minister in France, when his tough policies gained him the nickname ‘Le Top Cop’.

He once claimed that young offender ‘scum’ on housing estates should be ‘blown away with a power hose’. Such a background makes him an extremely vulnerable prisoner.

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy kisses his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy before leaving in a car on the day of his incarceration at the La Santé prison

Christophe Ingrain, a Sarkozy lawyer, said he was appealing against having to go to prison, but it will be at least a month before the appeal is heard.

Mr Ingrain said: ‘He is taking it upon himself to ensure that no one can feel the indignation and anger he feels at suffering this injustice. Humanly, this is an extremely difficult ordeal.’

Sarkozy has also been found guilty of trying to bribe a judge, and illicit campaign funding, following separate trials.

Carla Bruni is herself accused of being part of a £4million campaign dubbed ‘Operation Save Sarko’ – a complex and illegal plan to try to keep her husband out of jail.

She has been charged with a range of corruption offences, including ‘witness tampering in an organised gang’, and could be imprisoned for a up to 10 years if found guilty in a separate trial.

Like her husband, Ms Bruni denies any wrongdoing.