From choirboy to France's 'most wanted' - Isis jihadist extradited from Turkey

One of France's most wanted Islamic State jihadists has been charged with terrorism offences after being extradited from Turkey.

Suspect Kevin Guiavarch, 24, converted to Islam 10 years ago, and is on a list of Islamic extremists sanctioned by the UN.

He is alleged to have been a key IS recruiter, persuading French citizens to join the terrorist group. He reportedly met members of the terror cell responsible for the November 2015 Paris attacks in Raqqa, IS' de facto Syrian capital.

The former school choirboy was raised by a single mother in Brittany, France 24 reports.

He left for Syria four years ago, initially joining al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al Nusra (since renamed Fateh al-Sham) before joining IS.

He came to the attention of French authorities in 2014, when he was suspected of radicalising a minor in Troyes after communicating with her on social media. The girl attempted to travel to Syria, and was found by her family in Germany, Le Monde reports.

He fled to Turkey from Syria in June, 2016, with his four French wives and six children, where they were all arrested. His wives were extradited to France in November.

He claims to have rejected IS, and authorities will investigate whether he is truly reformed or is part of a sleeper cell.

Guiavarch arrived in France on Friday (20 January), and was charged with being associated with a criminal terrorist organisation and financing terrorism by prosecutors in Paris.

According to an EU report in December, a third of the 5,000 Europeans who travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight with jihadist groups have returned to Europe, with some on active missions.