Suspect in 1982 Paris Restaurant Attack Extradited to France

French authorities announced that a suspect in the 1982 attack on a Jewish restaurant in Paris arrived in France on April 17, 2026, after extradition by the Palestinian Authority. The attack on August 9, 1982, at the Jo Goldenberg restaurant in the Marais neighborhood killed six people and wounded 22 others.

The incident involved a group of three to five men who threw a grenade and opened fire on customers.

Hicham Harb, also known as Mahmoud Khader Abed Adra and now 72 years old, is one of four suspects sought in connection with the attack. He was arrested by Palestinian authorities in September 2025 and detained at an air base near Paris upon arrival. The national anti-terrorist prosecution office stated that Harb will be formally notified of the warrant against him on April 18, 2026.

Harb is believed to have been one of the coordinators of the assault. In February 2026, France’s Court of Cassation confirmed that a trial would be held for two other Palestinians held in France, one with Norwegian citizenship.

Extradition

Context The extradition occurred days after French President Emmanuel Macron recognized a Palestinian state in September 2025.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated in 2025 that the recognition created an appropriate framework for the extradition, according to an interview with Le Figaro newspaper. Following the extradition, Macron’s office issued a statement thanking the Palestinian authorities for their cooperation and commitment to fighting terrorism.

Additional

Details David Pere, a lawyer for victims’ families, stated that the more than four decades since the attack is too long and called for the trial to be held as quickly as possible.

Harb is also the subject of a 1988 German arrest warrant related to a 1985 attack at Frankfurt airport and has been suspected by Italian investigators in connection with a 1982 attack on a synagogue in Rome that killed a two-year-old. France 24 reported these details with information from AFP.