Carleton University’s Reinstatement of Man Charged in Bombing – ‘Shocking’

July 28, 2009

BREAKING NEWS: Carleton University Drops Instructor Accused of Terrorist Attack on Synagogues in Europe

Carleton University’s Reinstatement of Man Charged in Bombing – ‘Shocking’

TORONTO – Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center finds Carleton University’s reinstatement of Hassan Diab shocking. Diab is charged with murdering four people in a 1980 bombing outside a synagogue in Paris. He will begin teaching a part-time introductory sociology course at the university two days a week until the middle of August.

“While charges against Diab must be proven in court, the allegations against him are quite serious,” stated Avi Benlolo, FSWC President and CEO. “One can only wonder how a reputable university like Carleton can place an alleged murderer at the head of a classroom – teaching and meeting with students. The university should take a cautionary approach until all charges against Diab are cleared,” Benlolo added.

“Carleton University has provided us all with a special teaching moment. By inexplicably allowing an individual who stands accused by a democracy of participating in a murderous attack against the Rue Copernic synagogue, the institution is sending out the outrageous signal to our young people that here is a university that treats an accused terrorist mass murderer as if he was charged with drunk driving,” said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Diab was arrested in November 2008 at the request of French authorities. He is accused of parking a bomb-laden motorcycle outside the synagogue on Paris’ Rue Copernic, killing three Frenchmen and an Israeli woman. Conditions of Diab’s bail require him to wear an electronic monitoring bracelet, obey a curfew, report to the RCMP and not own a cell phone.

FSWC is awaiting an official explanation from officials at Carleton University.