| Charles Martel Group | |
|---|---|
| Groupe Charles-Martel | |
| Dates of operation | 1973–1987 |
| Country | France |
| Active regions | Primarily Paris and Marseille |
| Ideology | French nationalism White nationalism Anti-Arabism Antisemitism |
| Political position | Far-right |
| Notable attacks |
|
| Status | Inactive |
| Size | Unknown; no one has ever been arrested in connection to the group |
The Charles Martel Group (French: Groupe Charles-Martel, also Club Charles-Martel, Cercle Charles-Martel, Commando Charles-Martel) was a French far-right anti-Arab terrorist organization which operated in the 1970s and 1980s. It was named after Charles Martel, the Frankish military leader who defeated the Umayyad invasion of Gaul at the Battle of Tours in 732.
Their attacks were primarily centered on Algerian properties, businesses, or government. This stemmed from the near decade long Algerian war fought between France and the FLN after World War II between 1954 and 1962. Algeria had long been a colony of the French and saw other colonized nations gaining their independence, mainly from Great Britain. This among other factors led to a war that included acts of brutality, torture and guerrilla warfare. Algeria ultimately gained independence, which fostered bilateral migration.
The radical group claims to have chosen Martel as their namesake in honor of his successful defense of France (then Frankish Kingdom) over a thousand years prior.
There have been other groups with similar interests to that of the Charles Martel Group in and outside France. A terrorist organization targeting the French government for supporting the Algerian independence movement popped up using a similar name in the 1960s before the radical group came together. This original group never got around to acts of violence. A Charles Martel Society has formed in America with some radical overtones, but it too seems to be a non-violent group.[1]