Gambiaj.com – (Banjul, The Gambia) – Senegal has been unexpectedly drawn into an international judicial investigation in France, following allegations that a plot to assassinate a French lawyer defending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was initiated during a visit to the West African country.
French authorities have opened a formal judicial investigation after prominent lawyer Olivier Pardo filed a complaint alleging that he was the target of a planned assassination.
According to French media outlet Le Parisien, Pardo was informed of the plot by Rudy Terranova, a man with a criminal record and known history of radicalization, during a meeting in Pardo’s law office on July 16.
Terranova reportedly told the lawyer that he had been approached by individuals described as “Lebanese Hezbollah agents” while in Senegal, who allegedly tasked him with eliminating Pardo because of his role in Netanyahu’s legal defense.
The Israeli Prime Minister has been the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) since November 2024 for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza.
Terranova, who claimed he had no intention of carrying out the plot, made the revelation in the presence of two other lawyers and a legal intern, all of whom have since been questioned by investigators.
The French judiciary is treating the matter seriously, opening an investigation against an unknown party for “criminal conspiracy” and decrying leaks that compromised the secrecy of the inquiry.
Although Senegalese authorities have not yet issued any comment on the matter, the mention of the country as the setting where the alleged contract was proposed could raise diplomatic concerns, particularly amid intensifying geopolitical tensions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict.
The case has also brought renewed attention to Rudy Terranova’s checkered past. Once an informant for police in Versailles, he was later dropped due to concerns over his dangerous behavior.
He was previously acquitted in the attempted murder case of lawyer Karim Achoui in 2007 and has served time for gang-related offenses. Reports suggest he became radicalized while in prison.
Olivier Pardo, known for defending controversial figures including French minister Rachida Dati and far-right commentator Eric Zemmour, responded to the allegations with composure. “This is part of the risk that comes with defending high-profile and polarizing clients,” he told AFP. “I trust the judiciary to establish whether this threat is real or imaginary.”
Terranova was reportedly taken into custody during the week of July 21, although French authorities have yet to confirm this detail.
As French investigators probe deeper into the case, attention may turn to Dakar to clarify whether the alleged plot has any credible links to actors operating within Senegal’s borders.
The development could also prompt scrutiny over whether extremist networks are exploiting West African countries as venues for illicit international operations.
