Arrest of suspected Hamas member in Crete – attack on Israeli vessel thwarted
Greek authorities have arrested a 37-year-old Palestinian man in Agios Nikolaos, Crete. The suspect is alleged to have been planning attacks and had links to Hamas.
Arrest of suspected Hamas member in Crete – attack on Israeli vessel thwarted
Security authorities in Greece have arrested a 37-year-old man from Palestine in Agios Nikolaos, Crete. The suspect is alleged to have been preparing attacks and maintaining relations with the Islamist organisation Hamas.
According to Greek media reports, the man had entered the country approximately one year ago from the Gaza Strip and had been granted asylum. He recently worked at a hotel on the island. Investigators believe he was trained by Hamas and was planning terrorist acts.
A possible target is reported to have been an Israeli cruise ship scheduled to dock in Crete on Tuesday. Security circles, however, assume that the preparations for an attack had not been completed.
During searches in Crete and Athens, authorities seized mobile phones, a laptop, data storage media, bank cards, and laboratory equipment. The suspect appears to have used an apartment in the Patissia district of Athens as a laboratory. Investigators found dosage devices, chemical reagents and precision scales there.
According to CNN Greece, the 37-year-old admitted during questioning that he is a member of Hamas and that he had procured materials for the construction of explosive devices. He stated that he had been trained years ago in Indonesia.
The suspect is expected to be brought before a prosecutor. Investigators are examining whether other individuals were involved. According to reports, authorities do not rule out the possibility that the intended target of the attack was located outside Greece, in another European state.
Source: BILD
Source: BILD