Ex-Haniyeh Bodyguard Arrested in UK for Alleged Terror Plot in Europe

A former bodyguard of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was granted asylum and later citizenship in the United Kingdom, was arrested last year on suspicion of planning terror attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe. The individual, identified only as "Mr. X" due to legal restrictions, is the son of a senior Hamas official and reportedly served in Haniyeh's security detail. Despite his past with the militant group, he received refugee status in the UK in 2015 and subsequently became a British citizen.

According to reports, "X" was part of Haniyeh's security detail as early as 2006. Between 2009 and 2012, he was in Egypt, where he was arrested in connection with a tunnel used for smuggling weapons and gold into Gaza. After leaving Gaza in 2012, his whereabouts for the following years are unclear until he arrived in the UK in 2015.

While living in England with his family and reportedly working as a computer consultant, "X" maintained a seemingly normal life, establishing companies and participating in anti-Israel protests. However, he is alleged to have remained a significant asset for Hamas, changing his name multiple times. He was arrested in London last November after Israeli Mossad and German intelligence services uncovered a plot to attack Jewish community centers, Israeli diplomats, and pro-Israel demonstrations in Germany or Austria.

German authorities have charged "X" with transferring weapons, including handguns and ammunition, to a storage location in Vienna. A indictment details that in July 2025, he transported five handguns, ammunition, and other items from Berlin to Vienna. A video reportedly found during raids shows "X," masked and armed alongside a Hamas flag, describing the planned attack as an act of revenge by Hamas's military wing, timed to coincide with the second anniversary of the October 7th massacre.

If convicted, "X" faces imprisonment in the UK followed by extradition proceedings to Germany. A source described him as a "senior asset" for Hamas who allegedly used his British citizenship and passport to travel to Turkey and Qatar, where senior Hamas officials are based.