French court approves release of Lebanese fighter Georges Ibrahim Abdallah

A French court on Thursday ordered the release of Lebanese activist Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, who has served 40 years in prison for attacks on American and Israeli diplomats in France.

The former head of the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Brigade (LARB) was sentenced to life in 1987 for his role in the 1982 murders in Paris of U.S. military attache Charles Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov, and the attempted murder of U.S. Consul General Robert Homme in Strasbourg in 1984.

The Paris Appeals Court approved Abdallah’s release on 25 July on the condition that he leaves France, a judicial source said. A second source familiar with the case confirmed he would be deported to Lebanon.

In a February hearing, the Paris court said Abdallah should make an effort to compensate the families of his victims, according to a person familiar with the matter.

His lawyer said in June that about €16,000 ($18,546) had been deposited into his account, but the U.S. Department of Justice and France’s general prosecutor argued the sum was insufficient and did not come from Abdallah himself.

A source familiar with the case said on Thursday that Abdallah will not be required to pay compensation to the victims.

It was not immediately clear whether further appeals could be filed. 

The U.S. Department of Justice and France's general prosecutor have for years vigorously opposed his release, and eight previous release requests had been rejected.

Neither Abdallah's lawyer nor the Lebanese and U.S. embassies were immediately available for comment.

Abdallah, 74, has remained a staunch defender of the Palestinian cause.

The Paris court described Abdallah’s conduct in prison as exemplary and said in November that he posed “no serious risk of committing further terrorist acts.”

However, the U.S. Department of Justice has asserted that his release would pose a threat to the safety of U.S. diplomats.

Washington has opposed Abdallah’s release, pointing to his past comments about returning to his hometown of Qobayyat near the Lebanese-Syrian border, given the recent clashes between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Abdallah, the former head of the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Brigade (LARB), was sentenced to life in 1987 for his role in the 1982 murders of U.S. military attaché Charles Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov in Paris.

He was also convicted of the attempted murder of U.S. Consul General Robert Homme in Strasbourg in 1984.

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News Politics France Lebanon Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Brigade LARB Charles Ray Yacov Barsimantov Georges Ibrahim Abdallah USA General Robert Homme