Three individuals suspected of having ties to Hamas are currently in custody, following arrests in Berlin and the Netherlands. This was announced by the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office in Karlsruhe, citing potential weapon searches and preparations for possible attacks on Jewish institutions in Europe.
Originating from Egypt and Lebanon, the three Berlin suspects - Mohamed B., Abdelhamid Al A., and Ibrahim El-R. - were taken into custody by the investigating judge of the Federal Court of Justice (BGH). Additionally, a Dutchman, Nazih R., has been remanded in custody as part of extradition proceedings, with links to the same investigation. All four suspects are accused of membership in a foreign terrorist organization, allegedly connected to Hamas' military wing leaders.
Early signs of such activities were reported as far back as last summer. Despite no specific targets identified for the potential attack, the three German suspects were actively searching for weapons in October, supported by the arrested individual in Rotterdam. Security sources indicate that the German authorities had the suspects under observation prior to receiving foreign intelligence on their weapon search activities.
Simultaneously, in Denmark, three terror suspects were apprehended on Thursday, with two remanded in custody, one initially released, and a pre-trial detention order issued for four other individuals not yet in custody. The details of the suspected terror plans in Denmark have yet to be disclosed.
The Danish secret service has stated that there's no direct link between the German and Danish arrests, although the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office in Karlsruhe chose not to comment on the Danish investigation. If Hamas were to carry out attacks outside Israel and the Palestinian territories, it would signify a shift in strategy.
Germany has historically been a sanctuary for approximately 450 Hamas members, engaged in minimal propaganda and fundraising activities. In an effort to prevent such activities, two Hamas-related associations have been banned in Germany since 2002 and 2005. In recent years, radical extremism and terrorism activities have been a recurring theme in Germany, with notable incidents such as the 2020 Mannheim attack and ongoing investigations into foreign militant organizations.
