Tag Archives: France

French jihadist Mickael Dos Santos and his mother denied that he was featured in a recent Islamic State video as an executioner. The mayor of the small town of Labastide-Rouairoux in southern France identified French jihadist Abou Ossama Al-Faranci as appearing in the video, and noted that he had left Toulouse for Syria about a […]

The Defense Ministry said two French fighter jets along with other coalition aircraft struck Islamic State trenches around the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, creating a breach in the terror group’s frontlines. Foreign Minister Le Drian said France will send six Rafaele fighter jets to be based in Jordan, bolstering the French air forces that already […]

One of the jihadists shown in the Islamic State’s video on the beheading of US citizen Peter Kassig is reported to be French citizen Maxime Hauchard a.k.a. Abou Abdallah Al-Faransi, a Muslim convert who traveled to Syria in 2013. Another Frenchman also appeared in the video. Interior Minister Cazeneuve said authorities are investigating Hauchard, among […]

Following his extradition from Canada yesterday, Hassan Diab, 60, a Canadian citizen and university professor, was charged with first-degree murder and other crimes for the 1980 bombing of a Paris synagogue that killed four people and injured many more. Diab, who was arrested in Canada in 2008, was accused of membership in the extremist group […]

A court sentenced French citizen Flavien Moreau, 27, a Muslim convert with a prior criminal record, to seven years in prison for joining Islamist militants in Syria. Interior Minister Cazeneuve has said that authorities have been monitoring about 350 possible jihadists, including some 80 minors and 150 women, and have prevented at least 70 people […]

The state-owned utility EDF said complaints have been filed against the unnamed persons who have flown drones over seven of France’s nuclear plants between Oct. 5 and Oct. 20. Interior Minister Cazeneuve said an investigation has been launched and measures are being taken to neutralize the drones. Foreign Minister Le Drian said a French paratrooper […]

Officials are looking into the disappearance from their homes in Nice of a family of 11, including a grandmother; the family is said to have gone to Syria for jihad. Over 1,000 French nationals or residents are thought to have traveled to Syria or Iraq to join extremist groups, and at least 350 are believed […]

The Defense Ministry rejected a media report that among those targeted in coalition airstrikes against the Al Nusrah Front in Syria last month was a French intelligence operative who had defected to al Qaeda; he is said to have survived the strikes and to be leading fighters in Irbil. The Foreign Ministry refused to comment. […]

Interior Minister Cazeneuve said there are about 1,000 French jihadists who have traveled to Syria and Iraq or plan to go this year, an increase of 74 percent. The Interior Ministry also recently said that 180 of the 930 French nationals who have traveled to Syria or Iraq for jihad have left. Authorities are reportedly […]

Authorities have begun formally investigating three French jihadists recently returned from Syria who are suspected of preparing terrorist attacks; two of them have links to Toulouse shooter Mohamed Merah. The three suspects, who were already subject to investigation since September 2013 for ties to the “Artigat” network of jihadists in southern France, were arrested in […]