COPENHAGEN, DK – A series of arrests linked to alleged terror plots have been made across Denmark and Germany, with suspects believed to be members of Hamas. The suspects were thought to be planning attacks on Jewish individuals and institutions in Europe, amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Danish police detained three individuals within the country, and a fourth person was apprehended in the Netherlands. While specifics were not disclosed, officials indicated the arrests were linked to criminal gangs overseas, including the outlawed Loyal to Familia, notorious for its involvement in violent crime and drug dealing in Copenhagen.
Flemming Drejer, head of Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service, disclosed that Jewish institutions were a particular focus of the investigation. He confirmed that Denmark’s terror threat level remains unchanged at “serious,” a rating that has been in place since 2010. Drejer stated that the situation was grave, with charges laid against individuals abroad and the arrests made in cooperation with foreign partners.
In the Netherlands, a 57-year-old man was arrested in Rotterdam at the request of German authorities. This follows the Dutch counterterrorism agency’s decision to raise the country’s threat alert to its second-highest level, citing a “substantial” risk of an attack.
Meanwhile, in Germany, three suspected Hamas members were arrested, believed to have been planning attacks on Jewish institutions in Europe. Two were detained in Berlin and one in Rotterdam. The suspects were identified as long-standing members of Hamas, with strong ties to the group’s military leadership.
The arrests have drawn international attention, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office praising the actions of Danish police in thwarting a potential attack. The office emphasized that Israel’s intelligence agencies would continue to counter Hamas’s intentions and capabilities.
The situation underscores the ongoing threat of terrorism in Europe, with the European Union’s home affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson, warning of a “huge risk of terrorist attacks” over the Christmas holiday period due to the fallout from the fighting in Gaza.