APPREHENDED
- Full name: N/a
- Pseudonym: N/a
- Alternatives: Ruslan Dargiyev
- Location: Belgium, Syria
- Affiliation: Chalil Man Network [CMN], fmr Army of Emigrants and Partisans [JMA]
Ruslan Lorsanov (°1981) is a Chechen mixed martial arts fighter and Islamist militant from the Flemish city of Oostende.1 As a young man, he tried to become a professional fighter. Lorsanov participated in an August 2006 raid on a Belgian nightclub by dozens of Chechens in which bouncers and partygoers were beaten up.2 In 2011, a court in Ghent gave him a provisional sentence of two years imprisonment for his role in the incident.3 Around the same time, Lorsanov became a devout Salafi Muslim under the influence of Chechen jihadi Chalil Man.4
In February 2013, Lorsanov joined the Army of Emigrants and Partisans [JMA; Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar] in Syria.5 He fought on frontlines for the group and was seriously injured in a grenade blast. In March 2014, Lorsanov returned to Belgium to get treatment.6 Upon his return, he became a key operative of the Chalil Man Network [CMN] and tried to inspire other Chechen community members to join the jihadis in Iraq and Syria.7
Lorsanov was arrested when police raided premises linked to the CMN in and around Oostende on Jun. 08, 2015.8 In December 2016, a court in Bruges sentenced him to eight years in prison.9 During his incarceration, Lorsanov became known for his aggressive and disruptive behavior.10 In September 2018, he assaulted and injured five prison guards.11
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