Three suspected members of the Palestinian armed group Hamas have been arrested for allegedly planning attacks on Israeli and Jewish institutions in Germany, as announced by prosecutors. The three individuals, identified as Abed Al G, Wael F M, and Ahmad I, were detained in Berlin, with two being German citizens and one a Lebanese-born national.
The arrests occurred just a day prior to Yom Kippur, the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar. According to the federal prosecutor's office, the suspects are accused of acquiring firearms and ammunition since the summer, intended for use in attacks against Jewish targets.
On Wednesday, the prosecutor's office stated that various weapons, including an AK-47 assault rifle and multiple pistols, were recovered during the arrests.
Police reportedly apprehended the suspects during a meeting arranged for a weapons handover. Additional searches were executed in Leipzig and Oberhausen concurrent with the Berlin operation, according to reports from Der Spiegel.
The arrested individuals face charges of preparing for a serious act of violence that threatens the German state and belonging to a foreign terrorist organization. They are scheduled to appear before a federal judge on Thursday.
This incident follows a previous case in February, where four Hamas members stood trial in Berlin for plotting similar attacks on Jewish sites across Europe.
