German authorities have apprehended three men accused of plotting attacks against Israeli and Jewish institutions across Germany. The federal prosecutor’s office stated that the suspects, two German citizens and one individual of Lebanese origin, had been acquiring firearms and ammunition since the summer for the alleged purpose of carrying out these attacks. These arrests occurred in Berlin just before Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
The Palestinian group Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization by the EU, has denied any involvement with the arrested individuals. Media reports indicate the arrests took place during a weapons exchange in the capital, Berlin, with simultaneous police searches conducted in Leipzig and Oberhausen.
The men face charges including conspiracy to commit a serious act of violence that endangers the German state and membership in a foreign terrorist organization. They are scheduled to appear before a federal judge today. Hamas has characterized the allegations as baseless, suggesting they are intended to undermine German public sympathy for the Palestinian cause, and maintains that its operations are confined to Palestinian territories.
This development follows the trial of four Hamas members in Berlin earlier this year, who were similarly accused of planning attacks on Jewish sites throughout Europe.