فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
Rabat: Close intelligence cooperation between Moroccan and French security agencies has led to the arrest of a former French soldier, identified as Manuel B., who had transformed into a radical jihadist planning to join a terrorist brigade in Syria.
Manuel B., 41, served for many years in the French Army’s engineering corps. Information indicates that he adopted extremist ideologies during a military mission in Djibouti in 2008. Upon his return to France, signs of religious radicalization were observed, leading to his discharge from the army in 2014 after nine years of service.
A Radicalization Journey from France to Morocco
According to French newspaper Le Figaro, citing judicial sources, Manuel was preparing to join a group known as “Al-Ghuraba” (The Strangers) or “The French Battalion,” led by French jihadist Omar Diaby, known as “Omar Omsen,” and based near the Syrian-Turkish border. This group is described as having a radical sectarian character, comprising around fifty fighters, and is under intense intelligence surveillance.
In the French city of Angers, Manuel remained under the watchful eye of counter-terrorism agencies. He was considered a driving force behind a small group of local extremists, overseeing paramilitary training, and was in contact with a former prisoner who had attempted to infiltrate Syria. Despite his entourage and veiled wife defending his innocence at the time, suspicions increasingly surrounded him.
Following the November 2015 Paris attacks, Manuel underwent an administrative search and was briefly placed under house arrest. At the time, he was defended by the Islamic association “Sounnah,” which was later dissolved in 2016 by decision of the French authorities.
Arrest in Morocco and Ongoing Prosecution
In the same year, Manuel traveled to Morocco with his wife and daughter and settled in Fez. There, Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie forces discovered dangerous weapons and equipment in his home, including a silenced pistol, 102 gas cartridges, pellet rifle containers, bladed weapons, as well as extremist religious books and training manuals on explosives and mines.
Consequently, Moroccan courts sentenced him to four years in prison, which was reduced on appeal to two years, including one year suspended. After serving his sentence, he was deported to France.
However, Manuel’s story did not end there. He was re-arrested on April 29, and placed in pre-trial detention for investigation on charges of belonging to a criminal organization with terrorist objectives, a charge punishable by up to thirty years in prison under French law.
This joint security operation between Morocco and France once again highlights the paramount importance of international cooperation in combating terrorism and the effectiveness of coordination between intelligence agencies in tracking and prosecuting extremist elements returning from conflict zones.
