❓WHAT HAPPENED: Authorities in Germany have detained three suspected Hamas members accused of planning terror attacks and acquiring weapons.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Suspects Abed Al G., Wael F. M., and Ahmad I. are described as operatives of Hamas.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The arrests occurred on October 1 in Berlin, with searches conducted in Leipzig and Oberhausen.
💬KEY QUOTE: “During today’s arrests, various weapons, including an AK-47 assault rifle and several pistols, and a significant amount of ammunition were found,” said Germany’s Federal Prosecutor General.
🎯IMPACT: The arrests highlight ongoing security concerns for Jewish communities in multicultural Germany amid the Hamas-Israel conflict.
German authorities have arrested three men suspected of being Hamas members who were allegedly planning terrorist attacks within the country. The arrests occurred on Wednesday during a police operation in Berlin aimed at intercepting a weapons handover, according to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.
The suspects were identified as Abed Al G., a 36-year-old German citizen of Lebanese descent; Wael F. M., 43, born in Lebanon but with an unclear German citizenship situation; and Ahmad I., 44, a German citizen originally from Syria. All three are accused of being members of the jihadist organization Hamas and of preparing acts of violence endangering the state.
Prosecutors allege that the suspects had been instructed by Hamas leadership to acquire firearms and ammunition in Germany for use in attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets. During the operation, officers seized an AK-47 assault rifle, multiple pistols, and a substantial amount of ammunition. Additional searches were carried out in Leipzig and Oberhausen as part of the broader investigation.
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office referred to the suspects as “foreign operatives of the terrorist organization Hamas,” stating that they have been active members of the group since at least the summer of 2024. All three were taken into custody by officers from the Federal Criminal Police Office and are expected to appear before the Federal Court of Justice.
This case unfolds amid rising security concerns across Europe due to the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, which escalated following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel. In Germany, authorities have repeatedly warned of an increased threat to Jewish communities and institutions, particularly from individuals influenced by Islamist ideologies.
Germany has faced growing challenges related to radical Islam more generally. According to a study by the University of Münster, nearly 20 percent of Muslims with migration backgrounds in the country show signs of emotional or ideological radicalization, including anti-Semitic or anti-Western views. With millions of Muslims living in Germany, this suggests that over a million individuals may be at risk of radicalization.
In recent years, German law enforcement has thwarted several Islamist plots. For instance, in late 2024, a 17-year-old with known Islamist sympathies was arrested for allegedly planning to drive a truck into a Christmas market in the town of Elmshorn.
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