Denard, Robert

Denard, Robert
▪ 1994

      "Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war." Shakespeare's line seemed particularly appropriate on April 5, 1993, as Bob Denard, one of the world's most notorious mercenary soldiers, walked free from a Paris courtroom. For the French soldier of fortune famed for his exploits in Africa throughout the 1960s and '70s, it was a vindication of his life's work. Some observers viewed the trial as confirmation of what many had already suspected—that Denard was something more than a freelance soldier for sale to the highest bidder. Rather, as evidenced by the testimony at trial and by Denard's own admission, many of his activities had been carried out with the tacit approval of the French government.

      Denard was born in France on Jan. 20, 1929. Following service with the French navy in Indochina, he joined (1952) the police force of what was then the French colony of Morocco. There Denard was convicted of taking part in an assassination attempt against French Prime Minister Pierre Mendès-France. After serving a 14-month jail term, Denard was acquitted of any wrongdoing and returned to France. In 1961, after answering a newspaper advertisement for "security men," he returned to Africa as a mercenary.

      Denard first fought for the government of Moise Tshombe, who was attempting to lead the secession of the mineral-rich Katanga (now Shaba) province from the rest of the former Belgian Congo (now Zaire). Then, following a brief period of service in Yemen, Denard returned (1965) to Africa. He served in Zaire, at one point leading a force of 1,100 mercenaries, known as les affreux ("the terrible ones"), until he was severely wounded in 1967. With a force of some 50 mercenaries, Denard invaded the Comoros in 1978 and arrested Pres. Ali Soilih (later shot and killed while "attempting to escape"). Denard installed Ahmed Abdallah as president of the Comoros and took control of the Presidential Guard. In 1989, however, following the assassination of Abdallah and faced with the possibility of unrest in the region, the French government sent a naval task force, complete with 3,000 troops, to remove Denard and his mercenaries from the Comoros. Rather than fight the French force, Denard went into exile in South Africa.

      He remained in South Africa until February 1993, when he voluntarily returned to France to face a five-year prison sentence for his 1977 role in a failed coup in Benin. Denard, arrested in Paris as he stepped off the plane, was held without bail. Within weeks of his arrest, however, both French government and military leaders spoke out on his behalf, acknowledging what Denard had maintained all along—that most of his actions had been undertaken with the knowledge and tacit approval of the government. The court overturned the original prison sentence and replaced it with a five-year suspended term. Although Denard still faced an investigation of his role in the Comoros, most observers felt that the aging mercenary would remain free.

      (JOHN H. MATHEWS)

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Robert Denard — Bob Denard Bob Denard (ou Said Mustapha Mahdjoub), né Robert Denard le 7 avril 1929 à Grayan et l Hôpital et mort à Paris le 13 octobre 2007[1], était un mercenaire français. Ce mercenaire est sûrement le plus influent et le… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Bob Denard — Nom de naissance Robert Denard Surnom Bob Denard Naissance 7 avril 1929 Grayan et l Hôpital Décès 13 octobre 2007 Nationalité …   Wikipédia en Français

  • France — /frans, frahns/; Fr. /frddahonns/, n. 1. Anatole /ann nann tawl /, (Jacques Anatole Thibault), 1844 1924, French novelist and essayist: Nobel prize 1921. 2. a republic in W Europe. 58,470,421; 212,736 sq. mi. (550,985 sq. km). Cap.: Paris. 3.… …   Universalium

  • Gilbert Bourgeaud — Bob Denard Bob Denard (ou Said Mustapha Mahdjoub), né Robert Denard le 7 avril 1929 à Grayan et l Hôpital et mort à Paris le 13 octobre 2007[1], était un mercenaire français. Ce mercenaire est sûrement le plus influent et le… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Said Mustapha Mahdjoub — Bob Denard Bob Denard (ou Said Mustapha Mahdjoub), né Robert Denard le 7 avril 1929 à Grayan et l Hôpital et mort à Paris le 13 octobre 2007[1], était un mercenaire français. Ce mercenaire est sûrement le plus influent et le… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Jean Kay — Jean Eugène Paul Kay est né le 5 janvier 1943 à Miliana en Algérie. Il est un aventurier et un écrivain français. Ses luttes sont diverses, de l’Algérie française au Cabinda, en passant par le Yémen, le Liban, ...«pirate a …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Culture of the Indian Ocean Islands — The culture of the Indian Ocean islands reflects the ethnic diversity, history, politics, music, dance, food, drink, arts, sports and international influences in that region. The area includes Zanzibar (Unguja and Pemba Island), Madagascar,… …   Wikipedia

  • Mercenary — For other uses, see Mercenary (disambiguation). Leonardo da Vinci s Il Condottieri, 1480. Condottieri being the Late Middle Age Through Renaissance term for Mercenary soldier leader(s) in Italian. A Mercenary, also known as a professional soldier …   Wikipedia

  • Comoros — /kom euh rohz /, n. Federal and Islamic Republic of the, a republic comprising three of the Comoro Islands (Grand Comoro, Mohéli, and Anjouan): a former overseas territory of France; declared independence 1975. 589,797; 719 sq. mi. (1862 sq. km) …   Universalium

  • Comoros — This article is about the country. For the archipelago, see Comoro Islands. Union of the Comoros Union des Comores (French) Udzima wa Komori (Comorian) الاتحاد القمري …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”