Former French Soldier Arrested in Plot to Join Syrian Jihadist Group

Manuel B., a former French soldier, was arrested on April 29 as he was about to leave with his wife to join a Syrian jihadist group, reports Le Figaro. After his arrest, he was placed in pre-trial detention and charged with criminal terrorist conspiracy. His wish was to join the group called Firqatul Ghuraba (the foreigners’ brigade) of the French jihadist Omar Diaby, alias Omar Omsen, who left Nice for Syria in 2013.

Manuel and his partner left France for Italy in mid-April. They then went to Saudi Arabia. They subsequently flew to Jordan. But his journey came to an abrupt end. He was arrested on April 21, before being transferred to France.

Manuel was not a radical Islamist. His military mission in Djibouti in 2008 was the origin of his radicalization. Upon returning to France, the man had radically changed. This change would also lead to his exclusion from the army in 2014. He had just completed nine years of service. After this episode, the former French soldier returned to live in Angers. There, he led a small group of local Islamists whom he taught to fight. He also conducted paramilitary training. After a search of his home a few days after the 2015 attacks, he was placed under house arrest until 2016.

After his release, he made a radical decision: to make his hijra. He took his wife and daughter to Morocco. But the trip was cut short due to the presence of knives, a machete, a baton, and a balaclava... in his suitcases. During a search of his home in Fez, Moroccan authorities seized a BB gun, as well as manuals on explosives training. Tried in Morocco, the Islamist was sentenced to four years in prison in 2016, before being expelled to France. His partner is in Syria.