Following the arrest of three alleged Hamas members in Germany in mid-December, the Israeli government claims to have discovered that the Palestinian extremist organization was planning terrorist attacks in Europe. One of the possible targets would have been the Israeli embassy in Stockholm.
“As a result of sustained intelligence efforts, a significant amount of information has emerged demonstrating that the terrorist organization Hamas intended to expand its violent activities abroad to attack innocent people around the world,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said today.
Probably cooperation between secret services
Israel obtained this information through the work of its own secret services and cooperation with the corresponding services of other countries. Specifically, information was obtained that Hamas cells abroad were planning an attack on the Israeli embassy in Stockholm. Terrorist suspects also wanted to obtain drones and recruit members of organized crime gangs in Europe.
In addition to foreigners, senior Hamas officials in Lebanon, who enjoy the protection of the Shiite militia Hezbollah, were involved in the planning. Israel has already killed some of these cadres, including the deputy head of Hamas's political office, Saleh al-Aruri, through airstrikes aimed at Lebanon. The information cannot initially be independently verified.
German authorities arrested three alleged members of Hamas in mid-December, suspected of having promoted the acquisition of weapons for possible attacks on Jewish institutions in Europe. Such arrests also occurred in Denmark and the Netherlands. In November, Germany banned Hamas, which also functions as a political organization. Hamas has not yet carried out any terrorist attacks in Europe.