Palestinian Authority Extradites Suspect in Historic Paris Restaurant Attack

Sat Apr 18 2026 00:58:30 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A significant breakthrough in the pursuit of justice as France's anti-terrorism prosecutor secures the extradition of a key suspect in a deadly 1982 attack on a Jewish restaurant in Paris.

The Palestinian National Authority has extradited Hicham Harb, a 72-year-old man believed to be involved in the 1982 grenade and gun attack on a Jewish restaurant in Paris that left six people dead. His extradition highlights ongoing judicial cooperation between France and Palestine, especially after France recognized Palestinian statehood in 2025. French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed this development as a step toward justice for the victims, as no one had previously been convicted for this attack. The incident was linked to a Palestinian militant group, and the case continues to unfold.

French authorities have detained a 72-year-old man considered a key suspect in a grenade and gun attack on a Jewish restaurant in Paris in 1982, which resulted in the deaths of six individuals.

Hicham Harb was extradited by the Palestinian National Authority on Thursday, in response to a request made in September by France's National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT).

Harb, whose real name is Mahmoud Khader Abed Adra, is suspected of directing the attack on the Rue des Rosiers and serving as one of the gunmen who opened fire on diners.

French President Emmanuel Macron expressed gratitude to the Palestinian Authority, stating that this act symbolizes judicial cooperation that has emerged following France's recognition of a Palestinian state in September 2025.

Upon his arrival at the Villacoublay air force base near Paris, Harb was placed in detention, according to PNAT.

The attack at the Jo Goldenberg restaurant in the historically Jewish Marais quarter left more than 20 individuals injured. Despite the severity of the incident, no one has been convicted in connection with the six killings that took place both inside and outside the establishment.

The attackers used a grenade before entering the restaurant, where they fired machine guns at patrons attempting to flee.

In a related development, France's highest court, the Court of Cassation, ordered a trial for six suspects linked to the attack, with three residing outside the country in the West Bank, Jordan, and Kuwait.

The Rue des Rosiers incident was attributed to a Palestinian splinter group led by notorious militant Abu Nidal, who died in 2002. Nidal's organization was implicated in numerous violent incidents throughout the 1980s.

Two suspects connected to the Paris attack are already in France, including Norwegian citizen Abou Zayed, who is believed to be one of the gunmen. Hazza Taha, another suspect, is accused of concealing weapons used in the assault.

Abou Zayed's legal representatives have denied his involvement in the shooting. Meanwhile, Harb's family, including his son Bilal al-Adra, argue that the extradition was illegal and lacked assurances of a fair trial.

Nonetheless, appeals to have the case tried by a jury instead of judges in a special court have been rejected by Paris courts.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who previously met with victims' families, has pledged to ensure that the suspects are brought to justice. After 44 years since the attack, he affirmed France's commitment to combating anti-Semitism and terrorism, emphasizing that the country will never forget and will never give up.