Three men are being detained by German authorities on suspicion of planning a significant act of violence against Jewish targets in Germany, allegedly for Hamas’ benefit.
The three men are alleged to have been “foreign operatives” for Hamas and to have been involved in German-targeting attacks on Israeli or Jewish institutions.
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A number of firearms, including an AK-47 assault rifle and several pistols, as well as a significant amount of ammunition, were discovered during today’s arrests, according to a statement from the federal prosecutors.
The three men were detained in Berlin on Wednesday, identified only as German citizens Abed Al G, Wael FM, and Ahmad I, who were born in Lebanon. The three were in their 30s or 40s, according to a security source.
A judge will decide whether the suspects will be detained before going on trial on Thursday, when the suspects will show up in court.
Germany and the European Union (EU) as a whole label Hamas as a “terrorist” organization.
In what prosecutors described as the first court case against members of the Palestinian organization in Germany, four Hamas members who were suspected of plotting attacks on Jewish institutions in Europe went on trial in Berlin in February.
Prior to the incident, “anti-terrorism” investigators observed the suspects arguing over weapons in a handover in Berlin and discovered functional weapons, including a Glock pistol, according to a prosecutor’s office spokesman.
Searches have also been conducted in the eastern city of Leipzig, where one of the suspects lives, and have forensic technicians are looking into the arsenal. The spokesperson added that authorities searched Oberhausen in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia as well.
Due to the Holocaust’s legacy, Germany is one of Israel’s most powerful allies, and synagogues and other Jewish institutions have tight security. It did not recognize Palestinian statehood last month along with France, the UK, and a number of other nations.
Hamas has launched numerous attacks against Israeli civilians throughout the years, but it has rarely operated outside of Israel and the Palestinian territories. Questions will likely arise regarding whether the suspects were acting in accordance with Hamas’s leadership’s instructions or whether they were simply Hamas supporters.
Israel is continuing its genocidal war against Gaza as a result of the arrests, despite the growing international outcry and repeated appeals for a ceasefire. Israel has also put a crippling aid obstruct on the area, where the majority of its two million residents have been forced to flee repeatedly and are now in severe famine and extreme hunger.
Local health officials report that Israeli forces have killed at least 66,148 Palestinians since the assault began nearly two years ago, but experts warn that the actual death toll could be three times higher.
Hamas announced it would examine US President Donald Trump’s peace proposal to put an end to the war as a result of the arrests.
In Berlin, tens of thousands of people have recently gathered to protest the German support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza. A large demonstration was called out by a coalition of about 50 organizations, including pro-Palestinian organizations Medico International, Amnesty International, and the opposition Left Party, over the weekend.
