A man suspected of planning the deadly 1982 Rome Synagogue attack has been arrested in the West Bank, more than four decades after the assault that killed a child and injured dozens.
Palestinian authorities detained 70-year-old Hicham Harb, also known as Mahmoud Khader Abed Adra, in response to an international arrest warrant issued a decade ago. Italian investigators believe he played a key role in organizing the October 9, 1982 attack on Rome’s Great Synagogue, where two-year-old Stefano Gaj Tachè was killed and 37 others were injured.
Harb is also suspected of being involved in another deadly attack—the 1982 shooting at Jo Goldenberg, a Jewish restaurant in Paris, which left six people dead. Both attacks have been linked to the Abu Nidal Organization, a Palestinian militant group that was active during that period.
Jewish community calls for justice
Victor Fadlun, president of the Jewish Community of Rome, welcomed the arrest and called it a long-awaited breakthrough. He said the hope is that this move will finally break what he described as years of silence and complicity that have shielded those responsible.
Fadlun emphasized the importance of reconstructing the events leading up to the synagogue assault and urged Italian authorities to support efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.
French President Emmanuel Macron praised what he called excellent cooperation with the Palestinian National Authority. He confirmed that France is working with involved parties to ensure Harb’s swift extradition.
Survivors react to arrest
Survivors of the Rome Synagogue attack have also reacted, expressing a mix of relief and unresolved grief. Eliana Pavoncello, who was injured during the assault, said the arrest stirred deep emotions.
She criticized the Italian state for failing to protect its Jewish citizens and said the passage of time has done little to ease the trauma. While some suspects have been identified or convicted in recent years, Pavoncello noted that justice has been slow and incomplete.
The 1982 synagogue attack, which occurred during a religious celebration, shocked Italy and raised concerns over domestic security for Jewish communities. Despite international arrest warrants and decades of investigation, key suspects remained at large for years.
Harb’s arrest marks a rare development in a case that has symbolized the broader struggle for justice among victims of anti-Jewish terrorism in Europe. The Rome Synagogue attack remains a painful memory for many, and authorities hope this arrest could lead to renewed efforts to hold all responsible parties accountable.
