Overview

• Manuel B., a former French Army engineer, was charged with 'association de malfaiteurs terroriste criminelle' and is currently in pre-trial detention in France.
• Authorities arrested him in Jordan on April 21, 2025, as he and his wife attempted to reach Syria via Italy and Saudi Arabia.
• Radicalized during a 2008 military mission in Djibouti, Manuel B. was expelled from the army in 2014 and later became involved in local Islamist circles in Angers.
• Omar Diaby's jihadist group, Firqatul Ghuraba, continues to attract French nationals despite increased counterterrorism efforts by French authorities.
• Since the fall of Assad’s regime, at least seven French nationals have attempted to join jihadist factions in Syria, highlighting ongoing recruitment challenges.