French court frees Lebanese militant after 40 years behind bars

French Court Frees 40‑Year‑Old Pro‑Palestinian Militant

Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, 74, has been held in France for four decades for the 1982 murders of a U.S. military attaché and an Israeli diplomat in Paris. The Paris appeals court, on Thursday, ordered that he be released from a southern French prison as long as he leave French territory permanently.

Release Decision Amid U.S. Opposition

Abdallah has been slated for release for 25 years, but the United States – a civil party to the case – has consistently opposed his departure. The court described his detention as “disproportionate” and the danger he posed as “no longer present.”

Supporters Declare Victory

During a visit, left‑wing deputy Andrée Taurinya learned that his liberation was a result of growing mobilization. “The fact that they accepted to free me is thanks to this growing mobilisation,” he told the MP and an AFP reporter.

Family and Legal Reactions

• The brother, Robert Abdallah, expressed gratitude and said he did not expect French authorities to free him after so many failed requests.
• Abdallah’s lawyer, Jean‑Louis Chalanset, welcomed the decision, labeling it a “political scandal” that had delayed his release.
• Israel’s embassy in Paris regretted the decision, stating that “such terrorists should spend their life in prison.”
• Lebanon’s charge d’affaires, Ziad Taan, said the country was “extremely satisfied” and that Abdallah would be “welcome in Lebanon.”

Historical Context

Abdallah was wounded as a teenager during Israel’s 1978 invasion and later founded the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Factions (LARF), a Marxist pro‑Syria and anti‑Israel group that has now dissolved. French police found submachine guns and transceiver stations in his Paris apartment in 1984.

Final Legal Appellations

French anti‑terror prosecutors appealed the decision, arguing that he had not changed his political views. A verdict was supposed to be delivered in February but was postponed over compensation payments. The appeals court noted that the “past symbol of the Palestinian struggle” represented Abdallah, and that the LARF had not committed violent action since 1984.

Lebanon’s Palestinian Population

Lebanon hosts tens of thousands of Palestinians, according to the United Nations. Most are descendants of those who fled or were expelled from their land during the creation of Israel in 1948.