Germany Arrests Suspected Hamas Member at Berlin Airport

German police arrested a Lebanese national suspected of membership in Hamas after he arrived at Berlin Brandenburg Airport on Friday. Federal prosecutors identified the suspect as Mohammad S., a 36-year-old citizen of Lebanon, who was detained shortly after landing on a flight from Beirut.

According to the German Federal Prosecutor’s Office, the arrest is part of an ongoing investigation into alleged Hamas-linked networks operating in Europe. Authorities say Mohammad S. was involved in preparations for planned attacks against Jewish and Israeli institutions across the continent. He is expected to be brought before a federal judge, who will decide whether to place him in pretrial detention.

Prosecutors allege that Mohammad S. belonged to a group of Hamas “foreign operatives” tasked with procuring weapons and ammunition for terrorist activity in Europe. According to the indictment, the suspect helped obtain approximately 300 rounds of live ammunition in August, which authorities believe were intended for use in potential attacks. 

During the October arrests, German police also carried out coordinated searches in several cities, including Leipzig and Oberhausen, Der Spiegel reported. Two of the suspects were German nationals, while another, like Mohammad S., was from Lebanon. Investigators say the group was involved in arranging weapons transfers and logistical support for planned attacks in Europe.

The January arrest is not the only case tied to the broader investigation. In November, German authorities detained another suspected Hamas member, also a Lebanese national, near the border with the Czech Republic. That arrest was linked to the same suspected procurement network, according to officials familiar with the case.

Israeli intelligence agencies have previously warned that Hamas has sought to build operational infrastructure across Europe, including weapons stockpiles and support networks intended for use against Israeli and Jewish targets. German officials have not publicly detailed the full scope of the alleged network but say the investigation remains active and ongoing.