Fri Nov 15 21:15:54 IST 2024: ## French Court Orders Release of Lebanese Man Jailed for 1980s Diplomat Murders
**Paris, France** – A French court has ordered the release of Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, a Lebanese man convicted for the murders of US and Israeli diplomats in France in the early 1980s. Abdallah, who was first detained in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison in 1987, will be released on December 6th, but only on the condition that he leaves the country.
Abdallah, 73, was found guilty of the 1982 murders of US diplomat Charles Ray in Paris and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov, as well as the attempted murder of US Consul General Robert Homme in Strasbourg in 1984. He has always maintained his innocence, claiming to be a “fighter” for Palestinian rights rather than a “criminal”.
This is the 11th time Abdallah has sought release, with previous attempts being rejected or annulled, including in 2003, 2012, and 2014. The United States has consistently opposed his release, while Lebanese authorities have called for his freedom.
The decision to release Abdallah has been met with controversy. The office of France’s antiterrorism prosecutor has announced their intention to appeal the ruling. Abdallah’s lawyer, Jean-Louis Chalanset, has hailed the decision as “a legal and a political victory.”
The release is not conditional on any government order, according to Chalanset. Abdallah, one of France’s longest-serving inmates, has never expressed regret for his actions. He previously joined the Marxist-Leninist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a group known for plane hijackings and deemed a “terrorist” organization by the US and EU. He later founded the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Factions (LARF), which carried out several attacks in France during the 1980s.
Abdallah’s release is sure to spark debate and criticism. It remains to be seen whether he will leave France and what his next steps will be.
First Piper 