Chaïm Nissim

Chaïm Nissim (born in 1949 in Jerusalem, Israel) is a Swiss former activist, perpetrator of the rocket attack of 18 January 1982 on the Superphénix nuclear plant, and Green politician.

Biography

Nissim was born in Jerusalem, Israel in 1949 to the family of a Jewish banker. He was raised and studied in Israel up to the age of 14, when his father was appointed director of an Israeli bank and his family moved to Geneva, Switzerland. Nissim obtained a degree in electronical and computer engineering at the EPFL in 1973.

Activist background and attack on Superphénix

For ten years, Nissim, believing that fast breeder reactor "can explode with their fast neutrons", did everything he could to stop the construction of the Superphénix nuclear plant, including training himself for underground guerilla, notably sabotaging electricity pylons with explosives.

On 18 January 1982, Nissim fired five rockets on the Superphénix nuclear plant, then under construction. Five rocket-propelled grenades were launched at the incomplete containment building – two hit and caused damage, missing the reactor's empty core.

The weapon, a RPG-7, was obtained from the Red Army Faction through Carlos the Jackal and the Belgian Cellules Communistes Combattantes.

Nissim states that

He further stated

Political career

In 1985, Nissim was elected member of the Grand Council of Geneva, under the aegis of the Green Party of Switzerland. He held the position until 2001.

On 8 May 2003, Nissim went public about the rocket attack of 1982, publishing a book on the subject and his connections to terrorist groups.

Nissim currently supports the association NOÉ21, a think tank on energy policies.

Notes and references