Hamas Operative Became British Citizen, Planned Attack in Europe

A member of the Hamas terrorist organization, identified only as "Mr. X" for legal reasons, obtained British citizenship and asylum before being arrested in November on suspicion of planning attacks against Jewish targets in Europe. The UK Times reported that Mr. X, described as a former bodyguard for the late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and the son of a senior Hamas official, was a "key" figure in the plot. Mossad stated in November that weapons seized during an operation to thwart the attack belonged to Hamas operative Muhammad Naim, whose father is Basem Naim, a senior figure in the group's political bureau in Gaza. Over a decade ago, Mr. X was arrested in Egypt for organizing a tunnel used for smuggling weapons and gold into Gaza. He then reportedly moved to the UK, where he received refugee status and later citizenship, living as an IT consultant in a London suburb, despite his public affiliation with Hamas. British intelligence agencies allegedly did not consider him a priority target.

Mr. X was arrested in central London in November as part of an international operation involving Mossad aimed at disrupting Hamas plots against Jewish community centers, Israeli diplomats, and pro-Israel rallies in Germany or Austria. These attacks were reportedly planned for October, coinciding with the second anniversary of the October 7th massacre. He now faces extradition to Germany. According to indictment documents, he recorded a video, masked and armed with a Hamas flag visible in the background, stating that the plans were carried out in the name of Hamas's military wing. Earlier reports from Germany detailed a suspected Hamas terror network planning attacks on Israeli and Jewish sites in Europe.