Germany Sentences Two Danes for Iran-Directed Plot Against Jewish Targets
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
A German court sentenced two Denmark-based men to prison for spying for Iran and plotting attacks against Jewish targets in Germany, including Josef Schuster and Volker Beck. The older defendant received eight and a half years, and the younger received four and a half years. The men were convicted of attempted murder and arson, with the older defendant also preparing to set fire to a kosher store. German authorities have thwarted multiple Iranian plots in recent years.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Two Denmark-based men were sentenced in Germany for spying for Iran and plotting attacks on Jewish targets.
- The older defendant received eight and a half years in prison, the younger received four and a half years.
- The men were convicted of attempted murder, arson, and preparing to set fire to a kosher food store.
- The plot involved instructions from Iran's Quds Force and targeted prominent Jewish figures.
- Germany has thwarted several Iranian attacks against Jewish targets in recent years.
- Iran has been observed recruiting European criminals for planned attacks.
A German court in Hamburg on Thursday sentenced two Denmark-based men to prison for spying for Iran and plotting attacks against Jewish targets in Germany. The older defendant, 54, received an eight-and-a-half-year sentence, while his 43-year-old accomplice was sentenced to four and a half years. Both were convicted of attempted murder and arson under aggravated circumstances. The court also found that the 54-year-old defendant had prepared to set fire to a kosher food store in Berlin.
According to German federal prosecutors, the 54-year-old Danish citizen, who has Afghan roots, received direct instructions from officers in Iran's Quds Force. He then contacted the younger defendant to recruit him for an attack against Volker Beck, president of the German-Israeli Friendship Society, or to find someone else to carry out the act. Prosecutors stated the two men eventually agreed on the latter option.
The pair were arrested last year in Aarhus, Denmark, by local police acting on behalf of Germany. The sentences matched the prosecution's request, while the defense had sought acquittal.
Germany has thwarted several Iranian attacks against Jewish targets on its soil in recent years, with concerns escalating due to ongoing conflicts. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has previously stated Germany is prepared for Tehran to attempt attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets within the country, though he provided no further details. Investigators in Germany and Europe have recently observed an increasing pattern of Iran recruiting criminals living in Europe, individuals with prior criminal records but no terrorism background, to carry out planned attacks. This may have also been the case with the older Danish citizen.
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