German prosecutors say three suspected Hamas members have
been arrested for allegedly plotting attacks on Israeli and Jewish institutions
in the country.
According to Germany's federal prosecutor's office, the three men two of whom are German citizens and one of whom was born in Lebanon are suspected of having purchased weapons and ammunition since the summer to allegedly employ in the assaults.
The office also stated that the males, identified as Ahmad I, Wael F M, and Abed Al G, were taken into custody in Berlin on Tuesday. The day before Yom Kippur, the Jewish calendar's holiest day, they were arrested.
Gaza is ruled by Hamas, which the EU views as a terrorist organization.
"Various weapons, including an AK 47 assault rifle and several pistols, and a significant amount of ammunition, were found during the course of the arrests,"
the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement on Wednesday.
It added:
"The weapons were intended for use by Hamas in assassination attacks on Israeli or Jewish institutions in Germany."
According to German media, the guys were taken into custody when they convened in the capital to exchange firearms.
Around the time of the arrests in Berlin, police also conducted searches in the cities of Leipzig and Oberhausen, according to the journal Der Spiegel.
The three are accused of being members of a foreign terrorist organization and planning a major act of violence that would jeopardize the German state.
According to the federal prosecutor, the suspects will appear before a federal judge on Thursday.
The arrests follow the February trial in Berlin of four Hamas members who were charged with planning attacks on European Jewish sites.
How are German Jewish communities being protected now?
States like Baden-Württemberg have signed modified state
treaties with Jewish religious communities, designed to stabilize and expand
protection services for Jewish-owned institutions and to protect the cultural
heritage. The amended treaties expanded the funding of security personnel and
the operation of security facilities at Jewish sites.
After the Hamas terrorist attacks in October 2023, security at Jewish and Israeli institutions across the country was greatly enhanced, from an increased police presence to coordination of federal and state law enforcement agencies.
The Federal Government stepped up its yearly financial commitment to the Central Council of Jews in Germany and pledged an additional €22 million in 2025 for security and community safety.