Bob Denard: life of a mercenary

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Bob Denard
Born April 7, 1929
Grayan-et-l'Hpital, Gironde,France
Died October 13, 2007 (aged 7!
"ari#, France
Occupation $oldier, %ercenary
Spouse(s) ($e&en!
Children ('ig(t!
Colonel Robert "Bob" Denard (April 7, 1929 October 13, 27!, "ometime" kno#n
$nder the alia"e" Gilbert Bourgeaud andSad Mustapha Mahdjoub, #a" a French "oldier
and mercenary% &e #a" kno#n for ha'in( performed 'ario$" )ob" in "$pport
ofFranafrique (a term referrin( to France*" "phere of infl$ence in it" former colonie"!
for +ac,$e" Foccart, in char(e of French pre"ident Charle" de -a$lle*" policy in Africa%
&a'in( fo$(ht in Al(eria d$rin( the Al(erian War, he then took part in
the .atan(a"ece""ion effort in the 19/" and fo$(ht in many African co$ntrie"
incl$din( Con(o, An(ola, 0hode"ia (today 1imbab#e!, and-abon% 2et#een 1973 and
1993, he participated in fo$r co$p attempt" in the Comoro 4"land"% 4t i" #idely belie'ed that
hi" ad'ent$re" had the implicit "$pport of the French "tate, e'en after the 1951 election of
the French 6ociali"t 7arty candidate, Fran8oi" 9itterrand, de"pite moderate chan(e" in
France*" policy in Africa%
:1;:2;
&e #a" the father of ei(ht children and married "e'en time"
(poly(amo$"ly!, after con'ertin( to 4"lam%
Contents
1 <arly career
2 =he Comoro"
o 2%1 1959 co$p and "$b"e,$ent trial
o 2%2 1993 co$p and "$b"e,$ent trial
3 >ater trial" and death
? 0eli(io$" belief"
3 6ee al"o
/ 0eference"
7 2iblio(raphy
5 <@ternal link"
Early career
After ha'in( "er'ed #ith the French Aa'y in 4ndochina and in French Al(eria,
:3;
Benard
"er'ed a" a colonial policeman in 9orocco from 1932 to 1937%
:?;
4n 193?, he #a" con'icted
of an a""a""ination plot a(ain"t 7rime 9ini"ter 7ierre 9endC"DFrance, a leftD#in( member
of the 0adicalD6ociali"t 7arty #ho #a" ne(otiatin( the end of the 4ndochina War and
#ithdra#al from 9orocco, =$ni"ia and Al(eria, and "er'ed 1? month" in )ail%
:1;
An
adamant antiDComm$ni"t, Benard then took part in many antiDcoloniali"t "tr$((le",
"im$ltaneo$"ly on hi" o#n behalf and on the behalf of the French "tate%
:2;
Once he #a"
freed from )ail, he #orked for the French "ecret "er'ice" d$rin( the #ar in Al(eria%
:?;
After hi" di"char(e from the French na'y, 2ob Benard #a" briefly a policeman in 9orocco
and a demon"trator for #a"hin( machine" in 7ari"%
:3;
&e be(an hi" mercenary career,
#hich #a" to "pan three decade", in .atan(a, probably in Becember 19/1 #hen he and
other forei(n mercenarie" #ere bro$(ht in by the leader of the mercenarie" in
.atan(a,0o(er Fa$l,$e"% &e became famo$" after re"c$in( #hite ci'ilian" encircled by
rebel" in 6tanley'ille%
:/;
Benard fo$(ht there $ntil the "ece""ioni"t mo'ement led by 9oi"e
="hombecollap"ed in +an$ary 19/3% =hen, Benard and hi" men fled to 7ort$($e"eD
controlled An(ola%
Benard i" kno#n to ha'e participated in conflict"
in 0hode"ia (no# 1imbab#e!, Eemen, 4ran, Ai(eria, 2enin, -abon, An(ola, 1aire and
the Comoro", the la"tDnamed nation ha'in( been "$b)ect to more than t#enty coups
d'tat in the pa"t decade"% For mo"t of hi" career Benard had the ,$iet backin(
of France and the French "ecret "er'ice #hich #i"hed to maintain French infl$ence o'er it"
e@Dcolonie"%
:3;
4n midD19/3 he #a" in Aorth Eemen, #hich #a" then in the middle of a ci'il #ar bet#een
a Aa""eri"t (o'ernment and royali"t tribe"men% =he royali"t" #ere "$pported by the
We"tern <$ropean and 6a$di Arabia (o'ernment"% =he French and 2riti"h "pon"ored a
n$mber of mercenarie" to train the royali"t 'ol$nteer" in military techni,$e", and 2ob
Benard #a" amon( tho"e #ho )oined the 4mam alD2adr, leader of the royali"t"%
:3;
After abo$t ei(hteen month" Benard ret$rned to the Con(o to take employment
$nder 9oi"e ="hombe #ho #a" no# the prime mini"ter of the central (o'ernment
in >eopold'illefrom +$ly 19/? till October 19/3 #hen #a" di"mi""ed by 7re"ident +o"eph
.a"a F$b$% Benard "er'ed for t#o year" in the Con(o battlin( 6imba rebel" "$pporter" of
the late Con(ole"e leader 7atrice >$m$mba, #ho had been m$rdered in .atan(a in 19/1
after ha'in( been o'erthro#n by ri'al politician" and "e'erely tort$red #hile in tran"it% =he
6imba rebel" #ere backed by the Chine"e and C$ban", incl$din( Che -$e'ara #hile
>$m$mba*" m$rderer" #ere tacitly backed by America and 2el(i$m% Benard #a" in char(e
of hi" o#n $nit of French mercenarie" called les affreux (lit% G the a#f$l"!% Benard helped
p$t do#n an attempted co$p on behalf of ="hombe by .atan(an "eparati"t" in +$ly 19//%
A year later Benard "ided #ith .atan(an "eparati"t" and 2el(ian mercenarie" led by +ean
6chramme in a re'olt in ea"tern Con(o% =he rebel" #ere "oon bottled $p in 2$ka'$%
Benard #a" #o$nded in the initial ri"in( and fle# o$t #ith a (ro$p of more "erio$"ly
#o$nded men to 0hode"ia% 4n +an$ary 19/5 he in'aded .atan(a #ith a force of a h$ndred
men on bicycle" in an attempt to create a di'er"ion for a breako$t from 2$ka'$% =he
in'a"ion #a" a farce%
Benard #a" not in'ol'ed in mercenary acti'ity in 2iafra d$rin( the Ai(erian ci'il #ar d$rin(
the late 19/"% From 19/5 to 1975 he #a" employed "$pportin( the (o'ernment in -abon
and #a" a'ailable to carry o$t military action" on behalf of the French (o'ernment in Africa%
&e may ha'e been in'ol'ed in a raid a(ain"t -$inea in 197% &e #a" in'ol'ed in a failed
co$p attempt in 2enin (Opration Crevette, or Operation 6hrimp!, a(ain"t 9athie$
.HrHko$, the leader of the 7eople*" 0e'ol$tionary 7arty of 2enin, in 1977%
:7;
Altho$(h
+ac,$e" Foccart denied kno#led(e of the attempted co$p after it" fail$re, he did reco(niIe
that it had been backedD$p by -na""in(bH <yadHma (=o(o!, &o$pho$etD2oi(ny (4'ory
Coa"t!, Omar 2on(o (-abon! and &a""an 44 (9orocco!, all allie" of France%
:7;
The Comoros
&i" Jfa'oriteJ tar(et" #ere the Comoro"% &e attempted to o'erthro# the (o'ernment of thi"
"mall i"land (ro$p fo$r time"% On order" from +ac,$e" Foccart, he o$"ted the fir"t
pre"ident, Ahmed Abdallah, #ho had )$"t $nilaterally proclaimed the Comoro"*
independence on +$ly /, 1973% Ahmed Abdallah #a" replaced by Ali 6oilih%
&e then failed at a co$p in 2enin in 1977 and carried o$t "ome operation" in 0hode"ia from
1977 to 1975 a" part of the 0hode"ian Army*" "hortDli'ed FrenchD"peakin( $nit, 7
4ndependent Company%
:3;
With the "$pport of the 0hode"ian (o'ernment,
:5;
he ret$rned to
the Comoro" #ith ?3 men on 9ay 13, 1975 and carried o$t a co$p a(ain"t pre"ident Ali
6oilih, #ho had t$rned to#ard "ociali"t policie"% 6oilih #a" killed $nder my"terio$"
circ$m"tance" on 9ay 29, 1975%
:9;
&elped by Benard, Ahmed Abdallah took the pre"idency
back% For ele'en year" (1975D1959
:3;
! Benard headed Abdallah*" 3D"tron( pre"idential
($ard and had "tron( infl$ence and b$"ine"" intere"t" in the archipela(o, marryin( and
con'ertin( to 4"lam and e'ent$ally becomin( a citiIen of the co$ntry% &e adopted the
4"lamic name Said Mustapha Mahdjoub $pon hi" con'er"ion%
:2;
=he Comoro" al"o "er'ed a" hi" lo(i"tic ba"e for military operation" in 9oIambi,$e and
An(ola% &e #a" then "$pported by 7ari", a" the Comoro" pro'ided France for a ba"e to (et
aro$nd the embar(o a(ain"t the apartheid re(ime of 6o$th Africa%
:2;
Benard b$ilt an empire
in the Comoro", compo"ed of hotel", land", and the pre"idential ($ard%
:2;
Accordin( to
Ka'ier 0eno$, a$thor of a book on pri'ate military contractor", Benard fore"hado#ed the
tran"ition bet#een traditional mercenarie" to contemporary pri'ate military contractor",
creatin( a "mall army d$rin( hi" "tay in the Comoro" in the 195"%
:2;
1989 coup and subsequent trial
4n 1959, fearin( a probable co$p d*Htat, pre"ident Ahmed Abdallah "i(ned
a decree orderin( the 7re"idential -$ard, led by 2ob Benard, to di"arm the armed force"%
6hortly after the "i(nin( of the decree, a military officer alle(edly entered pre"ident
Abdallah*" office and "hot him, in)$rin( Benard at the "ame time% A fe# day" later, 2ob
Benard accepted to lea'e the Comoro" after meetin( French b$"ine""man +eanDE'e"
Olli'ier, and #a" e'ac$ated to 6o$th Africa by French paratrooper"%
:3;:1;
2ob Benard then #aited in the 9Hdoc re(ion, in France, for hi" trial for the m$rder of
pre"ident Ahmed Abdallah in 1959% With hi" lie$tenant Bomini,$e 9alacrino, he had to face
char(e" in 9ay 1999 for hi" role in the 1959 co$p, in #hich, accordin( to the French
pro"ec$tion, pre"ident Ahmed Abdallah #a" killed on the order" of Benard beca$"e he #a"
abo$t to remo'e Benard a" head of the pre"idential ($ard% =he pro"ec$tion "aid Ahmed
Abdallah #a" "hot on order" from Benard d$rin( a faked attack on hi" palace on the ni(ht
of Ao'ember 2/, 1959% 2$t a fe# day" before the trial, Abdallah*" family dropped their "$it,
and finally 2ob Benard and Bomini,$e 9alacrino #ere ac,$itted beca$"e of lack of
e'idence%
:?;
=he Comoro" e@perienced it" t#entieth co$p attempt "ince independence on
the day that the trial be(an%
:citation needed;
After#ard, pre"ident 9ohamed =aki Abd$lkarim declared that he ref$"ed 2ob Benard*"
ret$rn to the Comoro"% On Ao'ember /, 1995, Abd$lkarim died $nder "$"picio$"
circ$m"tance"% &i" family "$"pected a poi"onin( and a"ked for an a$top"y% =he po"tD
mortem e@amination #a" ref$"ed and Abd$lkarim #a" "aid to ha'e died of nat$ral ca$"e"%
:citation needed;
199 coup and subsequent trial
On the ni(ht of 6eptember 27, 1993, Benard landed on the Comoro" #ith 3 men in 1odiac
inflatable boat" in an attempted co$p a(ain"t pre"ident 6aid 9ohamed B)ohar, AbdallahL"
"$cce""or% On October ?, in accordance #ith an a(reement bet#een France and the
Comoro", the French army p$t an end to the attempt% Benard #a" bro$(ht back to France
by the French B-6< intelli(ence a(ency for trial%
:citation needed;
Benard #a" arre"ted in 1993 #hen he la$nched a fo$rth co$p, Operation Kaskari, a(ain"t
6aMd B)ohar, in the Comoro"% =he French (o'ernment "ent an e@peditionary force to
capt$re Benard and hi" 33 mercenarie"% Be"pite ha'in( o'er 3 armed Comorian" ready
to fi(ht and ha'in( machine ($n po"t" "et $p, Benard "$rrendered #itho$t a "hot bein(
fired and "pent ten month" in a 7ari" )ail% At hi" trial a n$mber of former -a$lli"t politician",
incl$din( Charle" 7a",$a, "poke on hi" behalf%
:citation needed;
Later trials and death
4n 21, -$ido 7apalia, 4talian attorney of Ferona, pro"ec$ted Benard for ha'in( tried to
recr$it mercenarie" in the farDri(ht 4talian mo'ement (thro$(h Franco AeroIIi! in order to
make a co$p a(ain"t Colonel AIali A""o$mani, the c$rrent pre"ident, al"o oppo"ed to hi"
ret$rn to the Comoro"%
On 9arch 9, 2/, attorney Oli'ier 2ray a"ked for fi'e year" of pri"on for the 1993 co$p
d*Htat a(ain"t 6aid 9ohamed B)ohar $nder the codeDname J<"kaIiJ, and "entence"
bet#een one and fo$r year" for hi" 2/ accomplice"% B$rin( the threeD#eekDlon( trial, 2ob
Benard and hi" accomplice" tried to con'ince the co$rt that they had acted #ith implicit
"$pport of French a$thoritie"% Bomini,$e 9alacrino talked abo$t the Jn$mero$" phone
call" of +ac,$e" Foccart, then re"pon"ible for the African office at the <ly"He palaceJ to
2ob Benard% <mman$el 7ochet, another "$"pect, declared that Benard had J"$pport from
"enior officer" of the "pecial force" of the B-6<J, the French e@ternal intelli(ence a(ency%
Oli'ier Fenetea$, another "$"pect, declared that he had belon(ed in the pa"t to the Jaction
"er'iceJ of the B-6<% On 9arch 9, Benard*" la#yer pre"ented declaration" by former
pre"ident B)ohar, #ho had "tated, d$rin( an inter'ie# to Comorian ne#"paper Kashkai at
the end of October 23, that hi" "ec$rity chief, Captain 0$bi", a French officer that the
French a$thoritie" had recommended to him, J#a" a#are of the co$pJ%
:11;
4n +$ne 2/ Benard, #ho by then #a" "$fferin( from AlIheimer*", #a" fo$nd ($ilty of
Jbelon(in( to a (an( #ho con"pired to commit a crimeJ, and #a" (i'en a fi'eDyear
"$"pended )ail term%
:12;
B$rin( the trial, the role of the French "ecret "er'ice" in the 1993
co$p a(ain"t 6aMd B)ohar #a" reco(niIed, b$t not deemed "$fficient to di"char(e the
mercenarie" of their ($ilt%
:13;
&o#e'er, the kno#led(e of the French a$thoritie" of the
attempted co$p #a" one of the rea"on" (i'en by the Co$rt to ab"tain from orderin( a firm
pri"on "entence%
:13;
B$rin( hi" trial in 2/ before the Co$rt of Appeal, a former head of the
forei(n intelli(ence "er'ice e@plicitly "tated that JWhen "pecial "er'ice" are $nable to
$ndertake certain kind" of $nderco'er operation, they $"e parallel "tr$ct$re"% =hi" #a" the
ca"e of 2ob Benard%J
:1;
4n +$ly 27, he #a" "entenced by the Co$rt of Appeal to fo$r year"
of pri"on (one firm, three "$"pended!%
:1?;
&o#e'er, he ne'er "er'ed hi" "entence for health
rea"on"%
:1;
&i" death #a" anno$nced by hi" "i"ter on October 1?, 27%
:13;
Religious beliefs
Benard con'erted to +$dai"m in 9orocco, to 4"lam in the Comoro", and ended hi" life a" a
0oman Catholic%
:1/;
&i" f$neral took place at the 7ari" ch$rch of 6aint Fran8oi" Ka'ier%
:17;

References
1! N +$mp $p toG
a

b

c

d
Obit$aryG 2ob Benard, 22C, 1? October 27 "#nglish$
%! N +$mp $p toG
a

b

c

d

e

f
J2ob Benard a to$)o$r" a(i po$r le compte de l*<tat
fran8ai"J, inter'ie# #ith Ka'ier 0eno$ in !e Monde, 13 October 27 "&rench$
'! N +$mp $p toG
a

b

c

d

e
>*ancien mercenaire 2ob Benard e"t mort, !e Fi"aro,
October 1?, 27%"&rench$
(! N +$mp $p toG
a

b

c
Fran8oi" Bomin($eI and 2arbara Fi(na$@, >a nHb$le$"e de"
mercenaire" fran8ai", !e Monde diplo#atique, A$($"t 23% "&rench$ (Arabic and
7ort$($e"e tran"lation"!
! N +$mp $p toG
a

b
+ohn >ichfield 2ob Benard =he 4ndependent, October 1/, 27
)! *u+p up , 6ophie Aichol"on 2ob BenardG French mercenary behind "e'eral
po"tDcolonial co$p"=he -$ardian, October 1/, 27
-! N +$mp $p toG
a

b
2ob Benard, chien de ($erre, !'$u#anit, ? 9ay
1999 "&rench$
8! *u+p up , 9oorcraft, 7a$l >%O 9c>a$(hlin, 7eter (April 25! :1952;% %he
&hodesian 'ar( ) Militar* $istor*% 2arn"leyG 7en and 6#ord 2ook"% pp% 12
121% 462A 975D1D5??13D/9?D5%
9! *u+p up , A man and hi" do( =49< 9a(aIine, A$($"t 21, 1975
1.! *u+p up , :1;
11! *u+p up , "&rench$ J7$t"ch a$@ Comore" G cin, an" de pri"on re,$i" contre
2ob BenardJ% !e Monde% 9arch 9, 2/%
1%! *u+p up , French *do( of #ar* "pared )ail, ++C ,e-s Online, +$ne 2, 2/%
1'! N +$mp $p toG
a

b
2ob Benard e"t condamnH P cin, an" de pri"on a'ec
"$r"i", !e Monde (ori(inally p$bli"hed on 21 +$ne 2/, act$aliIed on 1? October
27!% "&rench$
1(! *u+p up , JBHcC" de l*ancien mercenaire 2ob BenardJ, A(ence FranceD
7re""e, October 1?, 27onDline %
1! *u+p up , French mercenary 2ob Benard die", 22C Ae#", October 1?, 27%
1)! *u+p up , :J0obert Eo$n( 7elton*" =he World*" 9o"t Ban(ero$" 7lace"G 3th
<ditionJ, 0obert Eo$n( 7elton, Collin" 0eference, 23, p%27G JBenard ha" "e'en
#i'e" and ha" at 'ario$" time" con'erted to +$dai"m (in 9orocco! and 4"lam (in the
Comoro"! and then back to Catholici"m%J;
1-! *u+p up , -abriele Adinolfi, =he lea'e 7ari"ian 2ob Benard, in Cent$ry 4taly,
19 October 27%;
Bibliography/edit0
6amantha Weinber(G !ast of the pirates . in search of +ob /enard% >ondon,
199?% 462A D22?D337D7