German prosecutors have announced the arrest of three individuals suspected of being members of Hamas, the Palestinian armed group, for allegedly planning attacks against Israeli and Jewish institutions within Germany.
The suspects, identified as Abed Al G, Wael F M, and Ahmad I, include two German citizens and one Lebanese-born individual. They are accused of procuring firearms and ammunition since the summer, purportedly intended for use in the planned assaults, according to the federal prosecutor’s office.
The arrests took place in Berlin on Tuesday, authorities stated, coinciding with the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
Hamas, the de facto governing authority in Gaza, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the EU, has denied any connection to the arrested individuals.
In a statement released Wednesday, the federal prosecutor’s office detailed that the arrests led to the discovery of “various weapons, including an AK 47 assault rifle and several pistols, and a significant amount of ammunition.”
The statement further asserted that “The weapons were intended for use by Hamas in assassination attacks on Israeli or Jewish institutions in Germany.”
Consistent with German legal practice, prosecutors typically identify suspects using only their first name and an initial.
Reports in German media indicate the arrests occurred during a planned weapons handover in the capital city.
According to Der Spiegel, police also conducted searches in Leipzig and Oberhausen around the time of the Berlin arrests.
The three suspects face charges of preparing a severe act of violence endangering the German state and membership in a foreign terrorist organization.
The federal prosecutor’s office confirmed that the suspects are scheduled to appear before a federal judge on Thursday.
In response to the allegations, Hamas issued a statement, dismissing them as “baseless” and intended to “undermine the German people’s sympathy for the Palestinian people.”
The group further stated its policy of confining its activities to what it deems Palestinian territory.
These arrests follow the commencement of a trial in Berlin in February, involving four Hamas members accused of plotting attacks against Jewish sites in Europe.
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