PARIS: A French appeals court has ordered the release of Lebanese militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah after 40 years in prison. The 74-year-old, convicted for the 1982 killings of two foreign diplomats, is among France’s longest-serving inmates.
Abdallah was sentenced to life in 1987 for his role in the murders of US military attache Charles Robert Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov. Despite multiple parole requests, his release was repeatedly blocked, largely due to US opposition as a civil party in the case.
The court ruled that Abdallah must leave France immediately upon release, scheduled for July 25. Sources indicate he will be flown to Beirut, where Lebanese authorities have pledged to facilitate his return. His brother, Robert Abdallah, expressed relief, calling the decision a rare defiance of US and Israeli pressure.
Abdallah’s lawyer, Jean-Louis Chalanset, hailed the ruling as a judicial victory but criticized the prolonged detention as a “political scandal.” Previous release attempts were stalled over unpaid compensation to plaintiffs, though funds were later secured.
While Abdallah retains support from some French left-wing figures, public interest in his case has waned. Prosecutors may appeal, but the process is unlikely to delay his release. - AFP
