Police seized weapons and arrested a British man suspected of links to alleged Hamas members in Germany who are accused of plotting attacks on Jewish targets, authorities said Thursday.
Austria’s state intelligence agency DSN seized the arms in Vienna after probing “a globally active terrorist organisation with close ties” to the Palestinian militant group, the country’s interior ministry said in a statement.
“There is a suspicion that a group has brought weapons to Austria in order to have them ready for possible terrorist attacks” targeting “Israeli or Jewish institutions in Europe in particular”, it added.
The 39-year-old Briton was arrested in London on Monday as part of the investigation, at the request of German authorities who are seeking his extradition, Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) told AFP.
German prosecutors said in a statement that the man was suspected of belonging to Hamas and of transporting the weapons to Vienna.
They said he was thought to have been in contact with one of three other men who were arrested in Germany last month on suspicion of preparing attacks.
Hamas has denied any connection to the three.
The NCA, which investigates serious and organised crime, said the suspect arrested on Monday was scheduled to appear in court in London on November 10.
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