German security services on Wednesday arrested three operatives suspected of belonging to a Hamas terror cell that had been planning attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets in Germany.
According to a statement from the Mossad, the arrests were made possible thanks to close intelligence cooperation with German security agencies. Weapons intended for use in the planned attacks were found in the suspects’ possession.
The Mossad added that "the exposure of the cell was part of a broader operation the Mossad is leading across Europe, during which additional terror infrastructures were thwarted and weapons caches uncovered in other countries, including Austria."
On Wednesday, German federal prosecutors announced the arrest of three suspected Hamas members believed to be preparing a serious act of violence on German soil, Reuters reported.
The suspects - identified under German privacy laws as Abed Al G., a German citizen; Wael F. M., born in Lebanon; and Ahmad I., also a German citizen - were apprehended in Berlin.
Authorities suspect the men of procuring firearms and ammunition for Hamas since at least the summer, with the intent to carry out assassinations targeting Israeli or Jewish institutions in Germany.
“In the course of today's arrests, various weapons, including an AK 47 assault rifle and several pistols, as well as a considerable amount of ammunition, were found,” federal prosecutors stated on Wednesday.
According to Der Spiegel, anti-terror investigators observed the suspects meeting in Berlin for a weapons handover. Operational forces intervened and discovered functional weapons at the scene.