French Jews protest synagogue bombing suspect’s release without trial
Jewish umbrella group CRIF was “indignant” about the release of Hassan Diab, suspected of involvement in the 1980 attack
French Jews protested the release of a man who was extradited from Canada on suspicion that he was involved in the 1980 bombing of a Paris synagogue.
CRIF, the umbrella group of French Jewish communities, said on Friday that it was “indignant” about the release of Hassan Diab, a Lebanese-Canadian academic accused over the 1980 bombing the synagogue on Copernic Street, which killed four people. Diab has denied any connection to the act, which Israel and other Western countries believe was the work of terrorists from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
“CRIF calls on the public prosecution to appeal the release” earlier this week of Diab by a judge who said the prosecution did not have enough “convincing” evidence, a CRIF spokesperson wrote in a statement.
“This release without trial of the main suspect is an insult to the memory of the victims and adds to their relatives’ pain,” said CRIF President Francis Kalifat in the statement.
Separately, Clémentine Autain, a lawmaker for the far-left France Insoumise party of the communist politician Jean-Luc Melenchon, said earlier this week in a television interview that Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian who is serving multiple life sentenced in Israel for acts of terrorism, “is not a terrorist but an activist and political prisoner.” Barghouti, a military commander within the armed wing of the PLO during the second intifada, was sentenced by an Israeli court in 2004 to multiple life sentences for planning dozens of deadly terrorist attacks.
Speaking about Israel, she added in the interview with i24 News: “I think that today the policies of the Israeli government are in a state of radicalisation and dangerous authoritarianism, it’s a far-right government.”
CRIF has accused Melenchon and other members of his party of anti-Semitic rhetoric, calling that party “no better” than the far-right National Front party.
In a 2014 speech in which Melenchon praised protesters against Israel without mentioning the targeting of synagogues during their demonstrations, Melenchon shouted: “We’ve had enough of CRIF. France is the opposite of aggressive communities that lecture to the rest of country.”
Melenchon has denied making any anti-Semitic statement, maintaining he is merely a critic of Israel’s policies.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
