Debate Intensifies Over Georges Abdallah's Release

The U.S. Department of Justice has opposed Georges Abdallah's release at a French court. Abdallah, a Lebanese militant sentenced to life for murdering U.S. and Israeli diplomats, has been denied release despite Lebanese requests. His case remains contentious, caught between U.S., French, and Lebanese interests.

The U.S. Department of Justice has firmly opposed the release of Georges Abdallah, a Lebanese militant imprisoned in France for over four decades, according to a letter viewed by Reuters. The opposition comes ahead of an appeals court hearing concerning the release of Abdallah, the former head of the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Brigade (LARB).

Sentenced to life in 1987 for murdering U.S. military attache Charles Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov in Paris, Abdallah also attempted to murder U.S. Consul General Robert Homme in Strasbourg. The U.S. asserts that releasing him and sending him to Lebanon could destabilize the volatile region, risking public disorder.

Despite his impeccable prison conduct, France's anti-terrorism prosecutor has appealed a recent Paris court decision granting conditional release. The U.S. maintains that his release threatens the safety of American diplomats, underlining the ongoing geopolitical complexities involving Abdallah's case.

(With inputs from agencies.)