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Bob Denard (Grayan-et-l'Hôpital, April 7, 1929 - Paris, October 13, 2007) was a French mercenary. He was known as Gilbert Bourgead or Saīd Mustapha Mhadjou.
Since the 1960s he has been involved in numerous postcolonial conflicts (Yemen, Iran, Nigeria, Benin, Gabon, Angola, Kabinda, Zaire, Comoros). He had French support in several of them.
Between 1960 and 1963 he was one of the leaders of the Katanga uprising, aided by Moïse Tshombe. In 1963-64 he served in Yemen in support of the royalist army. He returned to Zaire in 1965 to fight the communist rebels, in 1975 he fought in Angola for UNITA and in 1977 he attempted a coup in Benin.
He was the protagonist in four coups in the Comoros. In 1975 he ousted President Ahmed Abdallah. He took part in three other coups: 1978, 1989 and 1995. Bob Denard became the commander of the presidential guard, converted to Islam, the name Said Mustafa Majub and Comorian citizenship. A mercenary military base was established in the Comoros. Denard was actively involved in business, became a co-owner of a chain of hotels and land plots. The Presidential Guard has turned into a large (on a Comorian scale) economic entity.
In November 1989, fearing a new coup d'état and complete usurpation of power by Denard, President Abdullah signed a decree disarming the Guards. A few days later, Abdallah was killed under unclear circumstances, and Denard was evacuated to South Africa, after which he was extradited to France. At home, he stood trial on charges of killing Ahmed Abdallah, but acquitted for lack of evidence.
On the night of September 27, 1995, Denard again arrived in the Comoros at the head of a detachment of 33 people. However, the attempt to seize power was thwarted by French troops in accordance with the Franco-Comorian interstate treaty. Denard was arrested, taken to France and brought to trial again. Denard was also prosecuted in Italy for recruiting mercenaries for a coup in the Comoros.