Allegations surround Hamas's planning of assaults in Germany.
In December, authorities in Berlin apprehended a person thought to be a Hamas operative. Documents on their phone suggest they've been preparing terrorist activities in Germany for months. The person's connections to a known terrorist stronghold reinforce these concerns.
A report in the media claims that the Islamic Palestinian group Hamas was planning attacks in Germany. The newspaper "Welt am Sonntag" states that potential targets were the Israeli embassy in Berlin and a US military base in Rhineland-Palatinate. Maps found on the phone of the arrested individual in Berlin have hints of possible surveillance of these locations, according to the report.
The newspaper details that the man, born in Lebanon, was nabbed in the German capital in December 2023. The phone was confiscated. The Federal Public Prosecutor General alleges he was part of identifying an arms depot for Hamas in Europe since the spring of 2023 at the earliest. The weapons were meant to be transported to Berlin for potential attacks elsewhere in Europe.
According to the report, instructions came from top military leaders of Hamas in Lebanon. It's said that three other suspected members of the Palestinian organization, also arrested, participated in the search for locations.
Connections in Hamas' and Hezbollah's stronghold
As per the newspaper, ties between Hamas supporters in Berlin and the military leaders in Lebanon are stronger than expected. Analysis of articles in online media revealed links, mainly to the southern Lebanese city of Tyre, taken as a stronghold of both Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia.
The Federal Public Prosecutor General declined to comment on the details of the evidence discovered on the cell phone of the suspected Hamas member for "Welt am Sonntag". A spokesperson for the authority declined, citing ongoing investigations.
Hamas fighters conducted a historic attack on Israel on October 7, killing more than 1170 people, according to Israeli reports. Additionally, 252 people were abducted in Gaza. In response to the assault, Israel has undertaken considerable military efforts in the Gaza Strip. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, which cannot be independently verified, over 35,800 people have perished thus far.
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Following these developments, there are concerns that Islamist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah may be planning terrorist attacks in Europe. The apprehension of a suspected Hamas operative in Berlin, with links to a known terrorist stronghold, has escalated these concerns.
Furthermore, investigations have revealed connections between Hamas supporters in Berlin and military leaders in Lebanon's Tyre, a stronghold shared by Hamas and Hezbollah.
Source: www.ntv.de