Terror Cell in Germany: Alleged Hamas Operatives Stockpiled Weapons

Berlin - Four individuals suspected of being members of Hamas appeared in court in Berlin on Tuesday. The Federal Prosecutor's Office has accused them of being part of a foreign terrorist organization. According to security sources, their activities were not directly linked to the Hamas attack on Israel that occurred on October 7, 2023, although initial indications regarding their activities surfaced months prior.

Reports indicate that this group was allegedly instructed to prepare weapons for 'supportive attacks' in anticipation of the mass assault. Potential targets included the Israeli Embassy in Berlin, the US Air Base in Ramstein, and areas surrounding Tempelhof Airport in Berlin.

In December 2023, special forces seized digital storage devices from one of the Hamas operatives' apartments in central Berlin. The suspects, who are believed to be 'foreign operatives,' are reported to have managed weapons caches across Europe. They were identified as Abdelhamid Al A. (46), Mohamed B. (34), Ibrahim E.-R. (41), and Nazih R. (57), and were arrested in December 2023 in Berlin and Rotterdam.

German Federal Criminal Police officers conducted searches with sniffer dogs at Ibrahim El-R.'s residence in Berlin-Mitte. The specific methods used to uncover the sleeper cell remain undisclosed by security authorities. During a raid in Berlin, five apartments, including that of Ibrahim El-R. on Alte Jakobstraße and a restaurant, were thoroughly searched. Weapons caches were reportedly located in Bulgaria and Denmark.

The indictment claims that the accused have been active in support of Hamas for several years, allegedly reporting directly to the group's military leadership. Ibrahim EL-R. is said to have established a weapons cache in Bulgaria in spring 2019, which included ammunition and firearms such as an AK-47. Furthermore, it's alleged that he later emptied a stash in Denmark and transported a pistol to Germany.

Between June and December 2023, the defendants reportedly searched in vain for a weapons depot in Poland while operating from Berlin. Khalil Hamid Kharraz, identified as the deputy commander of the Qassam Brigades of Hamas in Lebanon, was reportedly the orchestrator behind these sleeper agents. Kharraz, known by the nickname 'Abu Khaled,' was killed in an Israeli strike on November 21, 2023.

The trial is being held in a high-security courtroom, designated as room 142, which is the most secure facility in Berlin. It lacks windows, is hermetically sealed, and has its own climate control system. Additionally, mobile phone signals are blocked, and access is granted through a series of winding corridors.

The presiding judge for this case is Doris Husch, who leads the State Security Chamber. The defendants are kept in individual cells behind bulletproof glass, and all participants in the proceedings--including judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, interpreters, and witnesses--are separated from the audience and media by shatterproof glass. Due to security checks, the start of the hearing was delayed by an hour.

Hamas has openly stated its intent to eliminate the state of Israel. The organization has been held responsible for the terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of over 250 others.