BEIRUT — A Lebanese pro-Palestinian communist militant arrived in Lebanon Friday following his release after more than 40 years in detention in France.

Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, 74, was serving a life sentence for complicity in the murders of two diplomats, one American and one Israeli, in Paris in 1982.

The Paris Court of Appeal ruled last week that Abdallah, who has been imprisoned in France since his arrest in 1984, could be released on the condition that he leave the country and never return.

Abdallah was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1987 for complicity in the assassinations of U.S. Army Lt. Col. Charles Ray, who was stationed in Paris as an assistant military attaché, and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov.

He became eligible for parole in 1999 but multiple requests he filed since then were denied.

In Lebanon, many saw Abdallah as a political prisoner. While there was no official event marking his return, a crowd of supporters, including a number of members of Parliament, gathered outside of the Beirut airport to wait for him.

Some banged on drums and held up Palestinian and Lebanese Communist Party flags and a banner reading, “George Abdallah is free — a Lebanese, Palestinian and international freedom fighter on the road to liberating Palestine.”

The crowd broke out in cheers upon hearing the plane carrying Abdallah had arrived.