An Ottawa sociology professor is facing extradition to France in connection with the 1980 bombing of a Paris synagogue. Dr. Hassan Diab says he was not in France at the time of the attacks and is the victim of mistaken identity. Diab asserts that the confusion is due to his very common name. His arrest is the result of German intelligence documents purporting to show that he was once a member of the radical Palestinian organization responsible for the 1980 attack, which claimed four lives and sparked street protests in Paris. If extradited to France, Diab faces a trial in a justice system that presumes guilt and puts the burden on the defendant to prove his innocence. Officials at both universities where Diab works have refused to comment.
