Ex-Hamas Leader's Bodyguard Arrested in UK for Terror Plot in Europe
A former bodyguard of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has been arrested in London on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack in Europe, potentially targeting Jewish community centers, pro-Israel demonstrations, and Israeli diplomats. The suspect, a British resident in his 40s whose name has been withheld, reportedly planned to carry out the attack on the anniversary of the October 7th massacre. His apprehension followed intelligence shared by Israel's Mossad and German security agencies with British authorities in November.
German indictments reveal the suspect transported five handguns, ammunition, and camouflage gear from Berlin to a storage unit in Vienna. He later received hundreds more bullets, while accomplices acquired a Kalashnikov rifle and eight pistols. A pre-recorded video found during a police raid showed the suspect, armed and masked against a Hamas flag, declaring the planned attack as an act of revenge for the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing. A law enforcement official described him as a crucial link in the terror network.
The investigation has led to the arrest of seven additional suspects, including individuals from Germany, Denmark, Bulgaria, and Lebanon. Germany's Chief Federal Prosecutor, Jens Rommel, warned that Germany and other European nations are now considered potential targets for attacks by Hamas operatives who often possess residency or citizenship allowing free movement, are well-connected, and have significant financial resources.
The suspect served as Haniyeh's bodyguard from 2006 and was later involved in arms smuggling through Egyptian tunnels, where he had previously been arrested. He left Gaza permanently in 2012 and applied for asylum in the UK in 2015, eventually receiving permanent residency despite his known history with the terror organization. He had been living under a false identity in an English suburb, posing as an IT specialist. If convicted in the UK, he will serve his sentence there before being extradited to Germany.
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