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🇻🇪 Venezuela /Conflict & Security

Hezbollah Terror Suspect Extradited from Venezuela to Panama for 1994 Bombing

From El Nacional · (2d ago) Spanish Critical tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A Hezbollah terrorist, Ali Zaki Hage Jalil, was extradited from Venezuela to Panama to face charges related to a 1994 bombing.
  • The bombing targeted a commercial flight, killing 21 people, mostly of Jewish origin.
  • U.S. authorities, who offered a reward for his capture, hailed the extradition as a significant step toward justice for the victims' families.

Panama City, Panama – In a landmark development for international justice, Ali Zaki Hage Jalil, a naturalized Venezuelan citizen identified as a Hezbollah terrorist, has been extradited from Venezuela to Panama. This move brings him closer to facing charges for his alleged role in the 1994 bombing of a commercial airliner, an act that claimed 21 lives and sent shockwaves across the region.

The extradition, a culmination of decades of investigation and diplomatic efforts, was facilitated by the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice, which ruled that Hage Jalil's 2005 naturalization was fraudulent. This ruling paved the way for his transfer to Panama, where he arrived under heavy security at Tocumen International Airport. The operation, while discreet, signifies a major victory for law enforcement agencies pursuing transnational terrorism.

The U.S. citizen in Venezuela, Ali Zaki Hage Jalil, identified as a Hezbollah terrorist, was extradited on Monday from Venezuela to Panama, where he is wanted for his alleged participation in the attack against a commercial plane that occurred in 1994.

— El Nacional (VE)The article reports on the extradition of the alleged Hezbollah terrorist.

Hage Jalil is accused of participating in the planning of the bombing of Alas Chiricanas flight 901, which exploded shortly after takeoff from Colón in July 1994. The victims, predominantly of Jewish descent, underscore the sectarian nature of the attack, which occurred just one day after the devastating bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, also attributed to Hezbollah.

The attack on flight 901 occurred one day after the attack against the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) in Buenos Aires, which left 85 dead and has also been attributed to Hezbollah.

— El Nacional (VE)The article draws a connection between the Panama bombing and another major attack in Argentina.

Panamanian authorities allege that Hage Jalil was instrumental in acquiring explosives using false identities, a critical step in the execution of the terrorist plot. His arrest in November 2025 in Margarita, Venezuela, followed an international red notice issued by Panama. The U.S. Department of Justice, through the FBI, had offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his capture, highlighting the global significance of this case.

U.S. Ambassador to Panama, Kevin Cabrera, lauded the extradition as "a hugely important step towards justice," expressing hope that the ensuing legal process will bring peace to the families who have waited over 30 years for accountability. This successful extradition demonstrates the power of international cooperation in combating terrorism and seeking justice for victims of heinous crimes.

Today represents a hugely important step towards justice. We hope that the start of the legal process and its eventual conclusion will bring peace to the families of the victims who have waited more than 30 years for this justice.

— Kevin CabreraThe U.S. Ambassador to Panama commented on the significance of the extradition.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Nacional in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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