| 1978 Orly Airport attack | |
| Location: | Orly Airport, Paris, France |
| Coordinates: | 48.7233°N 2.3794°W |
| Time: | 3:00 pm |
| Type: | Mass shooting |
| Fatalities: | 2 civilians (+3 attackers) |
| Injuries: | 5 |
| Perps: | Palestinian nationalists |
The 1978 Orly Airport attack was a shoot-out that took place on 20 May 1978 in the Paris Orly Airport, France as three terrorists armed with submachine guns opened fire at the El Al boarding gate.[1] [2] [3] The terrorists were also reportedly carrying grenades and plastic explosives in the shoot-out that lasted for 25 minutes.[4] Two people including one police officer were killed before the three terrorists were shot and killed by French police and Israeli security guards.[1] [2] [3] Five people waiting to board a nearby Iberia flight to Malaga were wounded.[5] The airport was evacuated for about three hours after the attack.[5] According to Israeli sources the group behind the attack was a unit headed by Abu Nidal which cooperated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).[5]