As of the fall semester, convicted terrorist Hassan Diab was still a contract instructor for Carleton University in Ottowa, Canada. The watchdog group Honest Reporting Canada urged that he be fired from his teaching job and “promptly deported.”
Part of their advocacy efforts has come to fruition.
The National Post in Toronto reported that Diab, who was sentenced to life, is no longer working at Carleton.
“Hassan Diab is a former part-time contract instructor who taught a course at the university last fall,” the university said in a statement, according to the Post. “He is not in the employment of Carleton. Please note that, other than current employment status, the university does not disclose personal employment information due to privacy considerations.”
A French court convicted Diab for the synagogue bombing in Paris on Oct. 3, 1980, which killed four and wounded dozens on Simchat Torah.
B’nai Brith Canada, which had unsuccessfully called for Diab’s termination last semester, commended the university for its decision.
“Diab’s employment as a lecturer was a betrayal of the Canadian values of justice, safety and accountability,” the group said in a statement. “We commend Carleton University for taking the necessary steps to rectify this grave misstep, demonstrating its commitment to maintaining an environment that reflects the values of integrity, responsibility, and respect for all students. This decision is an important acknowledgment of the need to ensure our educational institutions prioritize the well-being and academic success of their students.”
Diab’s course Soci 3170A “Social Justice in Action” focused on his trial and extradition. Diab was first charged in 1999—20 years after the bombing—but wasn’t extradited from Canada until eight years later.
After serving a three-year prison term in France, which newly resigned Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said “should never have happened,” Diab was released due to lack of evidence.
B’nai Brith Canada noted that it continues to “advocate for Hassan Diab’s extradition to France.”