British man held in UK over alleged Hamas plot targeting German Jews
Thirty-nine-year-old facing extradition accused of helping terror cell source weapons for attacks
A British man has been arrested in London amid allegations he helped a Hamas-linked terror cell plan attacks on Jewish targets in Germany, ITV has reported.
The 39-year-old – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was detained on Monday, following an extradition request from German prosecutors. He appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court the same day and was remanded in custody. A further hearing is expected next week, via video link.
The National Crime Agency confirmed it acted on a request from Germany’s Federal Public Prosecutor, which last month led to three other arrests in Berlin as a part of a major counter-terrorism operation.
German authorities believe the London-based suspect played a key logistical role, allegedly overseeing the movement of firearms into Germany and meeting one of the accused operatives while under surveillance.
The three men arrested in Berlin – German citizens Abed Al G and Ahmad I and Lebanese-born Wael F M – are accused of preparing violent attacks against Jewish or Israeli institutions on behalf of Hamas. Prosecutors said weapons seized during the raids included an AK-47 assault rifle, several pistols and “a considerable amount of ammunition”.
ITV News reported that the British suspect is the son of a senior Hamas figure. The militant group has rejected any link to the alleged plot, calling the accusations unfounded.
The man is currently being held in a UK prison pending the outcome of the extradition proceedings.
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