Germany’s Federal Prosecutor’s Office believes the arrests of suspected Hamas supporters point to concrete plans for attacks in Europe. Federal Prosecutor General Jens Rommel told his agency’s annual briefing in Karlsruhe that a pre-recorded claim-of-responsibility video had been found in the possession of one of the suspects.
The recording announced an attack to coincide with the second anniversary of the Hamas assault on Israel, around 7 October 2025. That date marked two years since the Hamas massacre in Israel.
The first three suspects were arrested in Berlin on 1 October 2025. They are accused of having been involved in transporting weapons and ammunition since at least the summer of that year. Investigators believe the arms were intended for attacks on Israeli or Jewish institutions in Germany and other European countries.
The investigation now involves nine suspects. Further arrests have been made in Denmark, Britain and Cyprus, among other countries. According to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, one of the men is alleged to have stored weapons in Vienna.
Weapons Seizure and the Vienna Link
The investigation began with suspicions that Hamas had established an operational network in Europe. According to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, the initial arrests in October 2025 involved suspected Hamas foreign operatives. They are accused of procuring and passing on weapons.
Searches uncovered an AK-47 assault rifle, several pistols and ammunition. One suspect is accused of procuring a fully automatic rifle, eight Glock pistols and more than 600 rounds of ammunition. Another man allegedly took possession of the weapons in Hesse and transported them to Berlin.
The Austrian connection is particularly sensitive. One suspect is accused of storing five pistols and ammunition in Vienna. He was later arrested in London. Investigators say he had previously received the weapons in Berlin and taken them to Austria. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office regards these actions as preparations for possible lethal attacks. Israeli or Jewish institutions are believed to have been the intended targets.
New Evidence of a Planned Attack
Rommel’s disclosure about the claim-of-responsibility video casts the case in a new light. According to the federal prosecutor general, the recording points to a concrete attack plan.
The timing is striking. The first arrests were made on 1 October, while the video announced an attack around 7 October. Rommel said investigators believed Hamas had been considering an attack in Europe during that period.
The current case comes against an already familiar backdrop. In late March, the Berlin Higher Regional Court sentenced four members of an underground Hamas cell to several years in prison. The court found that the men had acted as Hamas foreign operatives and searched for weapons caches. It concluded that the arms were to be kept available for possible attacks on Jewish institutions.
The men were convicted of membership in a foreign terrorist organization. It was the first time a higher regional court in Germany had ruled that Hamas constituted a foreign terrorist organization under the German Criminal Code.
Possible targets in Germany also featured in the proceedings, including the Israeli embassy in Berlin and Ramstein Air Base. The investigation had already shown that German authorities believed Hamas had operational structures in Europe.
Jewish Institutions as Targets
Jewish communities and Israeli institutions across Europe have been under increased protection since 7 October 2023. Security measures have been significantly tightened at many locations in Germany. According to the investigation so far, the weapons were intended for attacks on Israeli or Jewish targets.
The newly disclosed claim-of-responsibility video now clearly points to a concrete plot. The suspects are presumed innocent. The proceedings are continuing.