Congo coup: 'War baby' son had been 'preparing for war' before following his father into botched operation

A young American captured in Congo after a failed coup led by his father had been preparing for war since a young age, according to his social media.

Christian Malanga, 41, was shot dead in Congo after allegedly leading a botched coup against the autocratic government of Felix Tshisekedi on Sunday.

His son Marcel Malanga, 21, traveled to the central African country from their home in Utah to lead the coup and has since been taken by the regime's forces.

Marcel's social media is filled with Christian philosophy, diamonds for sale, assault rifles and a foreshadowing of a war to come.

A video posted by Marcel in 2016 shows him as a child practicing at a shooting range as his father instructs him.

Marcel, who often referred to himself as 'WARCEL,' captioned it: 'Check Out My Father and I Shooting.' 

The mother of a young American kidnapped in Congo after a botched coup attempt says he's an innocent boy who was just following his father

Nearly a year ago Marcel shared a picture with his father and captioned it: 'honored to have you as my earthly father. I can’t wait to change the world with you' 

In other image he shared of himself as a child, he wrote 'WARBABY' and 'Train2k!ll'

In other images he shared of himself as a child, he wrote 'WARBABY' and 'Train2k!ll.'

Marcel's mother, American Britney Sawyer, weighed in on social media, explaining how the boy found himself in Congo.

'All the hate in the world! It's so sick,' Sawyer wrote on Facebook.

'This was an innocent boy following his father. I'm so tired of all the videos being post all over and being sent to me. God will take care of you people! Karmas a b****!'

The father and son and their group of around 20 men are said to have tried to force their way into the government complex. The group flew the flag of the DRC's former strongman dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.

Malanga moved to the US alongside his parents and his five siblings , according to his father, Joseph's, obituary. According to his tribute, the family lived in one of the poorest sections of the DRC capital of Kinshasa. His mother died when he was five.

Marcel often referred to himself as 'WARCEL'

Marcel regularly updated his social media followers with his exploits 

The young American often shared images of assault weapons online

Marcel's social media is filled with Christian philosophy, diamonds for sell, assault rifles and foreshadowing of a war to come

Eight years after arriving in the US, Malanga returned to his homeland in order to do military service, rising to the rank of captain by 2007. During this period, he had at least 235 soldiers under his command. 

Following failed attempts at moving into politics in DRC, Malanga returned to the US in 2012 but continued to be active in the country's affairs while in exile. 

Marcel appears to have ad a perfectly average upbringing in the US. He graduated from Copper Hills High School in the community of West Jordan, Utah, in 2020 where he was also a star football player.

After high school, he went on to play for the Utah Islanders, a team which helps to develop players to play college football.

However, his social media is filled with references to war and images of assault weapons. 

Nearly a year ago Marcel shared a picture with his father and captioned it: 'honored to have you as my earthly father. I can’t wait to change the world with you.'

Malanga was married at least twice, one marriage was to fellow Congolese ex-patriate Lucille Malanga, who Marcel also refers to as 'mom.'

Marcel Malanga pictured with his mother, Britney Sawyer.  She weighed in on social media, explaining how the boy found himself in Congo

Marcel had posted diamonds on his Instagram for sale

According to her social media profiles, she is also passionate about politics in her homeland.

Lucile lives in Miami, Florida. Her Facebook cover image is a picture of Malanga with a caption reading 'President of the Democratic Republic of Congo.'

Meanwhile another of Malanga's children, daughter Christine, mourned her father in a Facebook post.

'They say there's a reason they say time heals neither time or reason's will change how I feel it hurts my heart to know that I have to tell people my dad's dead,' she wrote.

'I thought I would have a longer time before I had to say that too know I can't just text you to see how your day went or to ask u to buy me my car or me calling you telling you about everything that's going is just so crazy to me.'

'And what hits the most I can't even tell you how much I loved you or even just talk about everything we had to talk about still I had so many questions I had to ask u still. Love you dad forever.'

Gunfire rang out around 4 a.m. in the capital Kinshasa, a Reuters reporter said. Armed men attacked the presidency in the city center, according to spokesman Sylvain Ekenge.

Another attack took place at the nearby home of Vital Kamerhe, a member of parliament who is tipped to become speaker, Kamerhe's spokesman, Michel Moto Muhima, and the Japanese ambassador said in posts on X.

Moto Muhima said two guards and an attacker had been killed in that incident. Ekenge also said one attacker was killed there.

Malanga was married at least twice, one marriage was to fellow Congolese ex-patriate Lucille Malanga, who Marcel also refers to as 'mom' 

Marcel is seen with his stepmother Lucille Malanga

A Facebook page appearing to belong to Malanga posted a live-streamed video of what appeared to be the attack.

'We, the militants, are tired. We cannot drag on with Tshisekedi and Kamerhe, they have done too many stupid things in this country,' Malanga said in Lingala in the video.

U.S. Ambassador Lucy Tamlyn said in a post on social media that she was 'very concerned' by reports that American citizens had allegedly been involved in the events.

'Please be assured that we will cooperate with the DRC authorities to the fullest extent as they investigate these criminal acts and hold accountable any U.S. citizen involved in criminal acts,' she said.

The U.S. embassy had earlier issued a security alert warning of 'ongoing activity by DRC security elements' and reports of gunfire in the area.

Marcel Malanga, 21, looked terrified as he was hauled into frame ahead of the coup attempt in a video posted to Facebook by his father 

The United Nations' stabilization mission in the DRC said that its chief, Bintou Keita, condemned the incidents in the strongest terms and offered her support to the Congolese authorities in a post on X.

Tshisekedi was re-elected for a second term as president in December, but has yet to name a government, six weeks after appointing a prime minister.

Kamerhe was a candidate for speaker of parliament in an election that had been scheduled for Saturday but was delayed by Tshisekedi.