Ex-Hamas Security Chief Granted UK Asylum, Accused of Plotting Terror Attack

A former bodyguard for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, identified only as "Mr. X" due to legal restrictions, received political asylum and British citizenship in 2015, the Sunday Times reported. Security sources and evidence suggest "X," who is also the son of a senior Hamas official, was part of Haniyeh's security detail since 2006. Between 2009 and 2012, he was reportedly arrested in Egypt in connection with a tunnel used for smuggling weapons and gold into Gaza.

After leaving Gaza in 2012, his movements were unclear until he arrived in the UK. Despite his background, he was granted asylum and later citizenship. Operating under the guise of a computer consultant in a major English city, "X" allegedly changed his name multiple times and maintained a facade of a normal life, participating in anti-Israel protests and establishing businesses.

In November, "X" was arrested in London as part of an international operation involving German, Austrian, Danish, and British intelligence agencies. They uncovered a plot to attack Jewish community centers, Israeli diplomats, and pro-Israel demonstrations in Germany or Austria. The operation led to the arrest of seven suspects and the seizure of an AK-47 rifle and ammunition.

German authorities accuse "X" of smuggling weapons, including handguns and ammunition, to a storage facility in Vienna. He is also alleged to have recorded a video, masked and armed alongside a Hamas flag, describing the planned attack as an act of revenge for the Hamas military wing. If convicted in the UK, he faces imprisonment followed by extradition to Germany.

Sources described "X" as a "senior asset" for Hamas, utilizing his British passport to travel to Turkey and Qatar, known hubs for the organization's leadership and activities. The indictment claims he transported five handguns, ammunition, and other items from Berlin to Vienna in July 2025, with further alleged acquisitions of weapons and ammunition in subsequent months.

A video found at one of the raided locations, believed to be filmed in Vienna, explicitly linked the planned attack to the second anniversary of the October 7th massacre, providing crucial insight into the perpetrators' motives and timing. The arrested individuals included citizens of Germany, Lebanon, Bulgaria, and Denmark. The extent of "X's" direct involvement in the planned attacks in Berlin or Vienna remains unclear.