German Federal Police arrested three men in Berlin suspected of preparing a violent attack against Jewish or Israeli targets in Germany on behalf of Hamas, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday.
Prosecutors suspect the three men of being foreign operatives for Hamas and of being involved in procuring firearms and ammunition to be used for “assassinations” targeting Jewish or Israeli institutions in Germany, Reuters reported.
“In the course of today’s arrests, various weapons, including an AK-47 assault rifle and several pistols, as well as a considerable amount of ammunition, were found,” the prosecutors said in a statement.
Two of the suspects were reported to be German citizens, while the third was born in Lebanon. Their names were released in partial form, as required by German law: Abd al-J., Wail P.M., and Ahmad A.
“There is no place for hatred against Jews in Germany,” German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig declared.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office on behalf of the Mossad, “the arrest of the cell members was made possible thanks to close cooperation between the Mossad for Intelligence and Special Operations and German security and intelligence forces.”
The German domestic intelligence agency (BFV) said the suspects were found with weapons “believed to have been intended for carrying out the attack.”
Israeli officials noted that the arrests are part of a broader effort across Europe. “The thwarting of the terrorist cell and the discovery of its operatives and weapons caches spans several countries,” the Mossad said, adding that recent operations have also taken place in Austria and elsewhere.
“The Mossad will continue to act everywhere to thwart terrorist activity aimed at harming Israelis and Jews abroad,” it emphasized, pledging full cooperation with partners “in Israel and worldwide.”
Hamas issued a statement denying that it had “any connection with the individuals arrested,” adding that the allegations were “completely unfounded.”
In February, four Hamas members suspected of plotting attacks on Jewish institutions in Europe went on trial in Berlin in what prosecutors described as the first court case against the Palestinian terror group in Germany.
Germany, one of Israel’s closest allies in Europe 80 years after the end of the Holocaust, maintains tight security around synagogues and Jewish institutions. Unlike France, Britain and several other nations, Berlin declined to recognize a Palestinian state at the United Nations in September.
