Raphaël Gendron (Jihadi Militant, Belgium)

DECEASED

Full name: Raphaël Gendron
Pseudonym: Abdurauf Abu Marwa
Alternatives: N/a
Location: Syria, Belgium
Affiliation: Falcons of the Levant Brigade [LSaS], Bassam Ayachi Network [BAN]

Raphaël Gendron (°1975) was a Paris-born French jihadi. He converted to Islam in his adolescence and became an adherent of radical Salafism after his family moved to the Molenbeek suburb of Brussels in the mid-1990s.¹ In the Belgian capital, Gendron became associated with Bassam Ayachi’s Belgian Islamic Center [CIB; Centre Islamique Belge]. Over time, he became a trusted deputy of Ayachi. Gendron also apparently became involved in Ayachi’s jihadi network.

In the mid-2000s, Gendron together with Abdel Ayachi maintained several websites that were closely linked to the Bassam Ayachi Network [BAN].² These websites were used to advocate jihad and disseminate propaganda of militant organizations. In January 2009, a Belgian court fined Gendron in absentia for racist content posted on these websites.³

Gendron was arrested in the Italian port city of Bari in November 2008 when he and Bassam Ayachi were found transporting Arab illegal immigrants in their camper on a ferry from Greece.⁴ While in jail, the Italian authorities intercepted conversations between the two men in which they discussed their intention to carry out attacks across Europe.⁵ Gendron and Ayachi were sentenced to eight years in prison by an Italian court in 2011.⁶ Both men were acquitted due to insufficient evidence by another court in July 2012.⁷ Gendron was briefly arrested by the Belgian authorities as he arrived back in the country shortly afterwards.⁸

In February 2013, Gendron traveled to Syria where he joined the Falcons of the Levant Brigade [LSaS; Liwa Suqur al-Sham] in the Idlib governorate.⁹ Since his longtime associate Abdel Ayachi had become a senior leader in LSaS, Gendron was able to quickly rise through the ranks. He became a chief in the group’s police and acted as the manager of the LSaS-operated prison.¹⁰ Gendron was killed in clashes in April 2013.¹¹

References[+]

References
↑1	Express – “Raphaël Gendron, Est-Il le suspect ideal?” (May 27, 2009), link.
↑2	Express – “Raphaël Gendron, Est-Il le suspect ideal?” (May 27, 2009), link; Libre Belgique – “Le problème de mon père est qu’Il a la tête de l’emploi” (Apr. 03, 2010), link & Libre Belgique – “Un islamiste de retour au bercail” (Jul. 05, 2012), link.
↑3	Cable News Network – “Italy Arrests Linked to Brussels al-Qaeda Recruiting Network“, by Paul Cruickshank (May 15, 2009), link; Express – “Raphaël Gendron, Est-Il le suspect ideal?” (May 27, 2009), link; Morgen – “Lichte straffen op proces Centre Islamique Belge” (Jan. 23, 2009), link & United Press International – “Belgium Sentences Two for Racist Web Site” (Jun. 21, 2006), link.
↑4	Express – “Raphaël Gendron, Est-Il le suspect ideal?” (May 27, 2009), link; Libre Belgique – “Le problème de mon père est qu’Il a la tête de l’emploi” (Apr. 03, 2010), link & Libre Belgique – “Un islamiste de retour au bercail” (Jul. 05, 2012), link.
↑5	Cable News Network – “Italy Arrests Linked to Brussels al-Qaeda Recruiting Network“, by Paul Cruickshank (May 15, 2009), link; Libre Belgique – “Le problème de mon père est qu’Il a la tête de l’emploi” (Apr. 03, 2010), link; Libre Belgique – “Une cellule d’al Qaeda jugée à Bruxelles” (Apr. 16, 2012), link; Monde – “L’Italie avait incarcéré, puis relâché, l’imam fondamentaliste de Molenbeek” (Nov. 17, 2015), link & Repubblica – “L’ideologo della moschea di Molenbeek fu arrestate a Bari e poi assolto: Dai 2008 voleva colpire Parigi” (Nov. 17, 2015), link.
↑6	Libre Belgique – “Une cellule d’al Qaeda jugée à Bruxelles” (Apr. 16, 2012), link.
↑7	Libre Belgique – “Le problème de mon père est qu’Il a la tête de l’emploi” (Apr. 03, 2010), link & Libre Belgique – “Un islamiste de retour au bercail” (Jul. 05, 2012), link.
↑8	Libre Belgique – “Le présumé terroriste Raphaël Gendron revenu en Belgique” (Jul. 04, 2012), link; Libre Belgique – “Un islamiste de retour au bercail” (Jul. 05, 2012), link & Morgen – “Vermoedelijke terrorist Raphaël Gendron opgepakt in België” (Jul. 04, 2012), link.
↑9	Dernière Heure – “Raphaël Gendron est mort en martyr” (Apr. 15, 2013), link & Libre Belgique – “Cheikh Bassam: On applique la loi de la Charia, celui qui tue, on le tue” (Jun. 11, 2015), link.
↑10	Dernière Heure – “Raphaël Gendron est mort en martyr” (Apr. 15, 2013), link.
↑11	Agence France-Presse – “Frenchman Active in Belgian Islamist Circles Killed in Syria” (Apr. 22, 2013), link; Dernière Heure – “Raphaël Gendron est mort en martyr” (Apr. 15, 2013), link; Libre Belgique – “Cheikh Bassam: On applique la loi de la Charia, celui qui tue, on le tue” (Jun. 11, 2015), link & Morgen – “Brusselse ronselaar van syriëstrijders gesneuveld” (Apr. 16, 2013), link.

Raphaël Gendron (Jihadi Militant, Belgium)

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