Denmark has detained two individuals and is targeting four more suspects in connection with an investigation that may be linked to others across Europe associated with Hamas, a group classified as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, and other nations.
The two suspects in custody have been ordered to stay in pretrial detention until January 9, as per prosecutor Anders Larsson. Concurrently, detentions in Germany allegedly linked to Hamas and in the Netherlands also took place, as per Al Jazeera.
Arrests Linked to Alleged Hamas Plot Foiled in Europe
A Danish police officer stands guard in front of the court in Frederiksberg, Copenhagen, Denmark, for the constitutional hearing on December 14, 2023. Danish authorities said on December 14, 2023 they prevented a terror attack after three arrests in Denmark and a fourth in the Netherlands, as Israel said the suspects in Denmark were acting "on behalf of Hamas".
According to Germany's federal prosecutor, four alleged Hamas members who were suspected of plotting terrorist attacks on European soil have been arrested by German and Dutch authorities.
Three people were arrested in Germany, while one individual was arrested in the Netherlands, suspected of planning attacks on Jewish institutions in Europe, the prosecutor said. Among the three arrested in Germany, two were Lebanese nationals, and one was an Egyptian national. Meanwhile, the person arrested in the Netherlands was described as a Dutch national.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser thanked the German and Dutch police authorities, stating that it "shows that our security authorities are extremely vigilant and act consistently." Similarly, German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann thanked the authorities and said that the successful investigation has "contributed to ensuring that Jews in Europe can continue to live in safety and peace."
He added that "following the terrible attacks by Hamas on the Israeli population, attacks on Jews and Jewish institutions have also increased in our country in recent weeks. This is shameful and shocking. We must, therefore do everything we can to ensure that Jews in our country do not have to fear for their safety again."
Denmark and the Netherlands have also arrested four people in separate incidents related to suspected terrorism offenses, though the Danish Intelligence Agency told CNN that the case had "no direct connection" to the Hamas-linked arrests.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the Danish security forces had "thwarted an attack, the goal of which was to kill innocent civilians on European soil." He added, "The Hamas terrorist organization has been working relentlessly and exhaustively to expand its lethal operations to Europe, and thereby constitute a threat to the domestic security of these countries," according to CNN News.
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Plot Prompts Jewish Celebration Cancellation in Denmark
There was no specific target mentioned for the plot, enough to prompt the Danish Jewish community to cancel a public celebration on Thursday evening. The Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the situation as "about as serious as it can be."
Over the summer, Denmark and neighboring Sweden became the target of anger in several Muslim countries after a series of protests involving burnings and desecrations of the Koran. In response, Denmark's parliament criminalized the burning, tearing, or defiling of religious texts such as Islam's holy book. In 2006, anti-Danish anger and violence erupted in the Muslim world following the publication in the small Nordic country of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
The threats and risks of terrorist attacks remain high, with Ylva Johansson, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, warning of increased polarization within European society due to the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which created a "huge risk" of terror attacks in the EU during this holiday season. To combat the risk, Johansson announced that she is allocating 32 million dollars to protect public spaces such as places of worship during the holiday season.
Overall, the tension and alert level surrounding potential acts of terrorism remain high. The arrests of suspects in different European countries and the allocation of funds to increase security represent measures taken to mitigate the risk and to maintain safety and peace in the EU, South China Morning Post reported.
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