Four Convicted in Réunion Jihadist Network Case, Sentenced to Up to 20 Years

A Paris court has handed down sentences of 19 to 20 years in prison to four men convicted of belonging to a jihadist network that operated from the French overseas department of Réunion. The men, aged between 30 and 41, were found to have been part of extremist groups, including the Islamic State (IS) and Jabhat al-Nosra, a former al-Qaeda affiliate.

The prosecution detailed that the accused, originally from Madagascar or Mayotte, became radicalized on Réunion. There, they reportedly underwent training promoting "armed jihad" and physical conditioning before traveling to Syria between 2014 and 2019. The court heard that one of the convicted men, 40-year-old Anthony de Monjoie Maurice, was present for the sentencing. He was convicted for actions including planting explosives against Kurdish forces and conducting surveillance for Jabhat Al-Nosra.

The other three defendants were sentenced in absentia to 20 years, with arrest warrants issued for them, as they are presumed dead. The sentences largely aligned with the prosecution's requests, though the defense for de Monjoie Maurice argued for a lesser sentence, suggesting 13 to 14 years would be more appropriate. The court also imposed a six-year period of socio-judicial supervision for the present defendant and a ban on holding public office.

This case is significant as the dismantled network was the first of its kind identified by intelligence services operating within a French overseas department. The verdict highlights the reach of global extremist networks and the challenges authorities face in monitoring and combating radicalization in remote territories.

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He had not evolved and denied the evidence.