Venezuela Extradites Key Suspect in 1994 Bombing
The U.S. Embassy in Panama announced on Monday that Venezuela has extradited Ali Zaki Haji Jalil, a man long implicated in the 1994 bombing of Alas Chiricanas Flight 901, which took place in Panama. This extradition marks a significant development in a case that has lingered for over three decades.
Haji Jalil, a dual citizen of Venezuela and Colombia, has been under suspicion for his alleged ties to Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed terrorist group believed to be behind the fatal bombing. On July 19, 1994, Flight 901, which had taken off from Colon, exploded shortly after departing, claiming the lives of 21 individuals, including three Americans. Most of the deceased were part of Panama’s Jewish community. At the time, the FBI reported that all but one of the victims had been identified; Ali Hawa Jamal was thought to have planted the bomb on the aircraft.
The incident occurred just a day after the bombing of the Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) in Buenos Aires, which was the deadliest terrorist attack in the Western Hemisphere until the September 11 attacks in 2001. In 2024, an Argentine court found Iran and Hezbollah culpable for both the AMIA bombing and the earlier bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires.
The U.S. Embassy indicated that this marks the first major progression in the case in over 30 years. They credited the successful extradition to a request from Panama and collaboration with the U.S. government, alongside the interim Venezuelan government’s willingness to cooperate under Acting President Delcy Rodriguez.
“This extradition sends a clear message: The Trump administration has a long memory and even longer influence,” U.S. Ambassador to Panama Kevin Marino Cabrera stated. He emphasized the commitment to bring the suspect to justice in Panama, underlining that the U.S. aims to hold Iran and its proxies accountable for their actions against Americans and allies.
Further, the U.S. Embassy in Panama noted that the FBI played a crucial role by providing vital intelligence and technical assistance, enabling the progress in the case. They expressed a determination to pursue terrorists and ensure justice for the victims’ families.
On Monday, a report was released by the New Safe Free Society Center which provided more insights into Haji Jalil’s supposed connections to Hezbollah. It stated that Panamanian authorities believe he was instrumental in organizing the bombing plot, including obtaining explosives. The bomb had been hidden in Hawa Jamal’s radio, which became a focal point in the investigation after his body was the only one that went unclaimed post-crash.
The investigation had stalled for a time but gained new momentum in 2017 after information was shared with Panama by Israeli officials, including a direct communication from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to then-President Juan Carlos Varela.
Historically, Venezuelan authorities had acted as a “shield” for suspects, but a recent court ruling deemed Jalil’s acquisition of citizenship fraudulent, paving the way for his extradition. In 1994, law enforcement in Panama arrested him with multiple firearms, but no terrorism charges were initially filed. He subsequently returned to Venezuela, where reports indicate he lived openly and even ran a business, visiting Panama until around 2019 or 2020. Panama only filed formal charges against him in 2022.
A group called Ansar Allah claimed responsibility for the Flight 901 bombing, and U.S. intelligence suggests that this might be a cover for Hezbollah to distance itself from such attacks. The same alias appeared in connection with the 1992 Israeli embassy bombing, with “Ansar Allah” also being the name of the Houthi group in Yemen, which maintains close ties with Hezbollah.
U.S. intelligence sources consider Hezbollah, operating under Iranian guidance, to be involved in both the AMIA and Alas Chiricanas bombings as part of a coordinated strategy targeting Jewish communities and Western interests.
