After more than a decade on the run, a man sought by France for his alleged involvement in a fatal 1982 attack on a deli in Paris’s historic Jewish quarter has finally been apprehended by Palestinian authorities. French officials confirmed the arrest on Friday.
This significant development marks a new chapter in a prolonged legal battle that has caused immense frustration for the victims’ families. The heinous attack tragically claimed six lives, including two American citizens, leaving a lasting scar on the vibrant Jewish community of the French capital.
President Emmanuel Macron announced that the suspect, identified by France’s national antiterrorism prosecutor’s office as 70-year-old Mahmoud Khader Abed Adra, was taken into custody in the West Bank. The exact timing of the arrest was not immediately disclosed.
In an official statement, President Macron lauded the “excellent cooperation” with the Palestinian Authority. He affirmed his commitment to pursuing the suspect’s “rapid extradition,” emphasizing that France had been tirelessly pursuing this arrest for years.
“My heartfelt thoughts are with all the families who have bravely endured such a long and painful wait for justice,” President Macron expressed.
The national antiterrorism prosecutor’s office extended its gratitude to the Palestinian authorities for what it described as a “major procedural breakthrough.” In a statement, the office confirmed that Interpol, the international policing organization, had notified them of the arrest.
An international arrest warrant for Mr. Abed Adra, also known as Hicham Harb, was issued by France in March 2015. He is suspected of both orchestrating and participating in the 1982 attack, and faces serious charges including terrorist murder and attempted terrorist murder.
The prosecutor’s office chose not to disclose the precise details surrounding Mr. Abed Adra’s arrest. Notably, this apprehension occurred just days before President Macron’s anticipated formal recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations.
While the direct connection between the arrest and President Macron’s decision remains unclear, Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s foreign minister, stated that the arrest was the “fruit” of the diplomatic process initiated by Mr. Macron in July towards recognizing a Palestinian state.
Mr. Barrot explained that such recognition would “enable us to formally request extradition” of the suspect, according to his statement.
He further affirmed, “Nothing can diminish France’s unwavering resolve to combat terrorism and antisemitism.”
The 1982 attack, then recognized as the most devastating antisemitic incident in France since World War II, also left 22 people injured. Multiple attackers hurled a grenade into a restaurant on the bustling Rue des Rosiers before opening fire on patrons and making their escape.
For decades, the case remained bafflingly unsolved, with no group officially claiming responsibility. However, in 2015, French authorities announced they had identified three suspects, all residing outside France, believed to be connected to a minor Palestinian terrorist organization implicated in fatal attacks across various nations.
This past July, six individuals were ordered to face trial in connection with the case. Four of these individuals, including Mr. Abed Adra, are expected to be tried in absentia, as they are believed to be living abroad.
The remaining two suspects are currently in France. One of them is Walid Abdulrahman Abou Zayed, a Norwegian citizen of Palestinian descent, who was extradited in 2020 and is accused by prosecutors of being one of the actual gunmen in the attack.
The news of this arrest has evoked a range of emotions among the victims’ families and their legal representatives, who have long been exasperated by the arduous pace of the investigation.
Yohann Taïeb, a spokesperson for some of the attack’s victims, remarked that this was a “significant step” and implored President Macron to ensure the suspect’s extradition “as swiftly as possible.”
Conversely, Alain Jakubowicz, a lawyer representing one of the victims’ families, dismissed the arrest as “false good news.” He warned that it could potentially cause further delays in bringing the case to trial or even necessitate the release of Mr. Abou Zayed, who is nearing the legal limit for pretrial detention under French law.
“Will the victims’ families ever witness this trial come to fruition?” Mr. Jakubowicz questioned aloud.