An electrical connector having a housing provided with an opening through which a flat circuit device is inserted into the housing, a plurality of conductive contacts arranged on the housing for contacting with connecting terminals on the flat circuit device in the housing, and a shell member mounted on the housing and provided therein with a holding portion for holding the flat circuit device in the housing and a manipulatable releasing portion for releasing the flat circuit device from holding by the holding portion, wherein the holding portion is constituted to extend from a portion of the shell member provided for covering one of opposite plate-shaped portions of the housing into an inside of the housing and to have an engaging projection formed thereon for selectively engaging with and disengaging from the flat circuit device.