A Canadian judge released detailed information last Thursday regarding accusations of terrorism against University of Ottawa and Carleton University Professor Hassan Diab.
Diab, a Canadian citizen, teaches sociology part-time at both of Ottawa's universities. He was arrested last week in connection with the October 1980 bombing of a Paris synagogue that killed four people and injured many others. He faces charges of murder, attempted murder, and willful destruction of property. No suspects had ever been charged in the case, and Diab's arrest last week took many by surprise.
"We are very pleased that the authorities in France and Canada are pursuing terrorism even 28 years after a crime. It sends a message that terrorists will not get away. That's a very good thing both as a message to terrorists and potential terrorists, as well as to victims of terrorism," said Benjamin Shinewald, the national executive director and general counsel for the Canadian Jewish Congress.
As for University of Ottawa students, uncertainty has been the most common response so far.
"There really hasn't been much of a reaction from the student body. Everyone is confused and wondering what is going to happen, but since it's an ongoing investigation our organization is opting not to comment for the time being," said Seamus Wolfe, University of Ottawa Students' Federation vice-president university affairs.
The University of Ottawa and the French Embassy also declined to comment.
For the past 28 years, police have suspected that the bomb was planted by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Diab's alleged connection with this group, based on information obtained from German intelligence agencies, was one of the four main points that Ontario Superior Court Justice Michel Charbonneau presented in the declaration of the case. The other three points were Diab's resemblance to police sketches of the suspect, the match between his handwriting and that of the bomber, and the use of his passport to enter France around the time of the bombing, under suspicious circumstances.
Although Diab has requested a release from custody, Charbonneau is not expected to rule on the possibility of bail until December 3. However, the judge was cautioned on Friday by Assistant Crown Attorney Claude LeFrancois that Diab poses a flight risk and should be kept in custody until an extradition hearing is conducted. It is strongly suspected France will request such a hearing. However, the length of time that has elapsed since the crime was committed could potentially complicate the extradition process.
"There is no limitation on when France can file their request. If it's a really old crime, however, it increases the chances they won't have a great case so it might not make it past the judge," said Robert Currie, a Dalhousie University law professor, "The test by an extradition judge is to determine if we would commit the person for trial here in Canada if we had the evidence presented."
Currie explained that the process could take anywhere from two weeks to 10 years, depending on whether or not Diab accepts the extradition request.
Despite the various accusations, Diab's lawyer, Rene Duval, has stated in various press releases as well as in court that his client was not in France at the time of the bombing, and that this is a case of mistaken identity. The Canadian Jewish Congress, for their part, are confident that Canadian courts will make the correct decision.
"We have full trust in the Canadian judicial system. I was at the bail hearing on Friday and we hope and expect that justice will take due course," Shinewald said. "We are confident that the courts will dispassionately render the correct verdict."