A Lebanese man has gone on trial in Celle, northern Germany, accused of being a member of Hezbollah - a Shia Muslim group whose military wing is proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the EU.
The 35-year-old man, named only as Fadel Z, in line with German privacy laws, is charged with having played a key role in procuring products for Hezbollah's drone programme.
The German Federal Prosecutor's Office said Fadel Z joined Hezbollah more than 10 years ago, first working in public relations.
In a statement, prosecutors said Fadel Z became a foreign operator for the group's drone programme in 2022, first from Barcelona in Spain. In the summer of 2023, he started working from Germany.
According to the statement by prosecutors, Hezbollah has been running an extensive drone programme for some time. Following Hamas's 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel, prosecutors said Hezbollah had systematically fired rockets and explosive-laden drones at both military and civilian targets in Israel.
To procure such drones, the organisation employs foreign operatives who covertly purchase components in Europe and export them to Lebanon.
Fadel Z is accused of purchasing materials and products for drone construction worth around €1.4 million (£1.2 million), until he was arrested in July 2024. The products came from companies in Europe, China and the US.
Prosecutors say he arranged for the goods to be transported to Lebanon - where the group is based - either by container ship from ports in Hamburg or Spain or by air freight.
One of the drones was used in an attack on a retirement home in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, where an explosive device detonated inside the building without injuring anyone. This act was considered attempted murder by the German authorities.
The trial at the regional court in Celle is expected to last until August next year, highlighting ongoing tensions and the serious implications of Hezbollah's military activities in the wake of escalating conflicts in the region.
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