German authorities have detained three men suspected of being operatives for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, alleging they plotted attacks on Jewish targets within Germany. The arrests, which took place on October 1, 2025, come at a time of heightened security across Europe, particularly around Jewish institutions, as the second anniversary of Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel approaches. The suspects were identified as German citizens Abed Al G. and Ahmad I., and Lebanese-born German citizen Wael F. M., in accordance with German privacy laws, according to statements from prosecutors and reporting by Reuters, The Times of Israel, and other outlets.
The three men were apprehended in Berlin following a lengthy surveillance operation led by anti-terrorism investigators. Authorities say the suspects had been under watch for some time before police intervened during a weapons handover in the German capital. At the scene, police discovered an arsenal that included an AK-47 assault rifle, a Glock pistol, and large amounts of ammunition. Forensic technicians are currently examining the seized weapons, while searches were also conducted in the eastern city of Leipzig—where one of the suspects reportedly lives—and in Oberhausen, located in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Prosecutors allege the three men are foreign operatives for Hamas and were actively involved in procuring firearms and ammunition with the intent to use them in attacks on Israeli or Jewish institutions. "The men were brought before the investigating judge of the Federal Court of Justice who issued arrest warrants and ordered their remand in custody," stated the federal prosecutor’s office, as reported by Reuters. The men appeared before an investigating judge in Karlsruhe on October 2, 2025, where formal arrest warrants were issued and their pretrial detention was ordered. They are expected to remain in custody ahead of a trial that could last months as the investigation continues.
These developments come amid intensified vigilance around Jewish sites, not just in Germany but across Europe. The memory of the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel—which triggered an ongoing conflict in Gaza and a surge in antisemitic violence worldwide—remains fresh. Many European police forces have increased patrols and security measures at synagogues and other Jewish institutions, wary of further attacks and the potential for copycat incidents.
In a related incident underscoring the climate of fear, two people were killed on October 2, 2025, during an attack at a synagogue in Manchester, Britain. The assailant was subsequently shot dead by law enforcement, according to police reports cited by The Times of Israel. While the Manchester attack is not directly linked to the German arrests, it highlights the broader context of rising threats against Jewish communities in Europe.
Hamas, for its part, has strongly denied any connection to the three suspects detained in Germany. In a statement issued on October 1, 2025, the group dismissed the allegations as unfounded and politically motivated. "The allegations of a link to the group are baseless and aimed at undermining the German people’s sympathy with our Palestinian people and their legitimate struggle against the Zionist occupation," Hamas said, as quoted by multiple sources. The group further asserted, "Our struggle is confined to opposing Israeli occupation in Palestine." Hamas has publicly insisted that its armed activities are restricted to Israel and the Palestinian territories, and that it would continue to operate solely within those bounds.
Despite these denials, German prosecutors maintain that the evidence gathered—including the cache of weapons and the suspects’ alleged efforts to procure arms since earlier in the summer of 2025—points to a credible threat. According to The Times of Israel, anti-terrorism investigators had been surveilling the suspects for some time, acting only when they witnessed the weapons handover in Berlin. The timing of the arrests, just a week before the anniversary of the October 7 attack, has raised concerns about potential anniversary-related violence and the ongoing risk to Jewish communities in Germany and beyond.
The broader political context cannot be ignored. Germany has long been one of Israel’s strongest allies in Europe, a stance shaped by the country’s historical responsibility after the Holocaust. Berlin has maintained tight security at synagogues and Jewish institutions, and, notably, did not join France, Britain, and several other Western nations last month in recognizing a Palestinian state—a move that both Israel and the Trump administration denounced as rewarding Hamas for its October 7 attack.
Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip and is backed by Iran, is designated as a terrorist organization by the European Union, the United States, and several other countries. The group has carried out hundreds of attacks against Israeli civilians but has rarely operated outside Israel and the Palestinian territories, according to The Times of Israel and other reports. Nevertheless, European authorities have remained on high alert, particularly after a spike in antisemitic incidents since the outbreak of the Gaza war.
Earlier this year, in February 2025, four Hamas members suspected of plotting attacks on Jewish institutions elsewhere in Europe went on trial in Berlin. Prosecutors described it as the first court case against Hamas terrorists in Germany, underscoring the ongoing threat posed by the group’s operatives on the continent. The current arrests appear to be part of a broader effort by German and European authorities to disrupt potential terror plots and to reassure Jewish communities of their safety.
While the investigation into the latest suspects is ongoing, the case has already triggered debate in Germany about the country’s approach to security, integration, and the monitoring of extremist networks. Some officials have called for even tighter surveillance of suspected militants and greater cooperation with international law enforcement agencies. Others have warned against stigmatizing entire communities, urging a careful balance between vigilance and civil liberties.
As the judicial process unfolds, the three suspects—Abed Al G., Ahmad I., and Wael F. M.—will remain in pretrial detention, with their fate likely to be determined in a high-profile trial over the coming months. For now, German authorities are keen to emphasize their commitment to protecting Jewish communities and preventing further violence, even as questions linger about the reach and intentions of groups like Hamas beyond the Middle East.
With memories of past tragedies still raw and security concerns running high, the arrests serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges facing Europe in balancing openness with vigilance and ensuring that history does not repeat itself.
