Three people were killed in a terrorist attack in the northern port city of Antwerp on 20 October 1981.

A hundred were injured.

Hassan Diab is a professor of sociology. He was arrested at his home in the vicinity of Ottawa last week by a special unit of the Canadian police.

The Canadians first want to extradite the suspect to France. It was at the request of a French examining magistrate that the man was arrested.

The Belgian judicial authorities also have indicated that they would like to talk with the suspect.

The attack in Belgium followed a similar outrage in France the previous year. Four people were killed and a score of people were injured in an attack on a Paris synagogue.

Both attacks were attributed to a terrorist outfit linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Hassan Diab has appeared before Canadian magistrates who have to decide within two weeks whether the suspect will remain in custody.

The suspect is denying all involvement. His lawyer speaks of insufficient evidence.

"Extradition sought"

The Forum of Jewish Organisations of Belgium has welcomed the arrest of a suspect in connection with the attack in Antwerp nearly 30 years ago.

The Forum hopes that Belgium will seek the suspect's extradition.

Next week it will be clear whether the suspect will be extradited to France.

Thirty years ago the 55-year-old also spent some time behind bars in France following an attack on a synagogue there.

(flandersnews.be/Expatica 2008)