Migrant crisis: France criticised by Reform UK's Richard Tice
Christian Maillaud, 53, was charged with allegedly being involved in the National Council of Transition (NCT), which advocates rebellion against the state. Maillaud, a former paratrooper, was found in central France as he reportedly tried to hide from the French authorities. The 53-year-old, who is also known as “Stan” and “the White Zorro,” is one of four members of the armed forces to be arrested in the last nine months for alleged links with the NCT.
NCT, similarly to QAnon in the United States, believes that France is run by a global elite of Satan-worshipping paedophiles.
The organisation was founded 10 years ago before Donald Trump became the US president and lead to the emergence of the Trump-era American movement.
Maillaud was wanted for breaching his release conditions after serving two years of a four-year sentence for helping a woman plan the abduction of her children from their father, whom she accused of paedophilia, The Times has reported.
Eric Neveu, prosecutor for the Allier département, in the Massif Central highlands, told Le Figaro newspaper: "He belongs to a creed."
Christian Maillaud was charged with allegedly being involved in the National Council of Transition.
"The aim is to completely change the French political system, uniting the far right, the far left, the gilets jaunes movement and conspiracy theorists, in order to create a new world."
Mr Neveu added: "Christian Maillaud admits the actions of which he is accused including the wish to put in place a new system of government and he believes he is invested with a mission to re-establish justice."
Judges refused bail for Maillaud.
The 53-year-old used to reportedly contact serving members of the gendarmerie, other branches of the armed forces and the judiciary to warn them that they risked future prosecution by “popular military tribunals” unless they ignored orders and fought the supposedly “corrupt” state they served.
On top of that, Maillaud’s group claimed that the gendarmerie was infiltrated by Mossad, the Israeli secret service during the gilets jaunes protests of 2018-19, which started after riots and the eruption of antisemitism and conspiracy theories.
The Times also claimed that the gendarmes' network backed a warning from hundreds of former military officers earlier this year, including 20 generals with far-right views, that France faced a possible military coup to save it from the chaos supposedly provoked by lawless "hordes" from the immigrant housing estates.
One of those generals, who backed the antisemitic rhetoric, lead to generating a new online catchphrase, “Qui?” (Who?), which is being chanted and brandished at anti-vaccine marches.
Maillaud’s "National Council", founded by Éric-Régis Fiorile, claims to be a "government of resistance" against the prevailing "dictatorship".
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The organisation’s vision of reality was originally dismissed until it emerged as a creed among hundreds of supporters of the gilets jaunes.
The DGSI, similar to the MI5, arrested Fiorile in December on suspicion of plotting violent action against the state.
This included alleged involvement in a far-right plot to assassinate Emmanuel Macron, according to media reports.
Fiorile was freed on bail on July 29.
Anti-cult campaigners have now warned about the rise of dangerous online conspiracy leaders during the mass protests.
Pascale Duval of Unadfi, a defence association of "families and individual victims of cults", suggested that the COVID-19 pandemic gave online gurus new power.
Ms Duval said: "The conspiracy mongers are showing greater arrogance, doubtless because they feel stronger support for what they are claiming."
According to a survey by Conspiracy Watch and the Jean- Jaurès think tank in 2018, 20 percent of under-35s believe in at least seven conspiracy theories - four times the rate of the over-65s.
One in three of those under 24 believe the West was behind the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks.