Three members of a terrorist cell with suspected links to Hamas were arrested by Germany’s domestic intelligence service (BFV), thanks to Mossad intelligence, the Prime Minister’s Office announced in a Friday statement.
The three were found with weapons at the time of their arrest on Wednesday, which are believed to have been intended for terror attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets.
“The arrest of the cell members was made possible thanks to close cooperation between the Mossad for Intelligence and Special Operations and the security and intelligence forces in Germany,” the PMO announced.
This arrest comes amid a wider series of Mossad efforts across Europe in recent weeks, carried out jointly with regional intelligence and law enforcement partners, including authorities in Austria, the office added.
Additionally, the wider efforts, which are part of a major Mossad campaign across multiple countries, have uncovered weapons and led to the arrest of suspects tied to other terrorist plots, according to the PMO.
“The Mossad will continue to operate everywhere to thwart terrorist activity aimed at harming Israelis and Jews abroad, in full cooperation with security and intelligence agencies in Israel and around the world,” the PMO emphasized.
Hamas claims no ties to the three men
Following the arrest, German federal prosecutors stated that “various weapons, including an AK-47 assault rifle and several pistols, as well as a considerable amount of ammunition, were found.”
The three, identified in line with German privacy laws only as German citizen Abed Al G., Lebanese-born Wael F. M., and German citizen Ahmad I., were arrested in Berlin on Wednesday. A security source said the three were in their 30s or 40s.
Hamas denied having ties to the three men, calling the allegations unfounded and saying its struggle is “confined to opposing Israeli occupation in Palestine.”
Reuters contributed to this report.