Hamas suspect detained in Crete

A 37-year-old Palestinian man was detained on the Greek island of Crete.whom authorities suspect of involvement in the preparation attacks against objects related to Israelas well as in contact with Hamas.

According to eKathimerinithe man was detained at Crete following an investigation carried out by Greek authorities in coordination with Cypriot security services.

The suspect is reported to be from Gaza Strip and was legally in Greeceworking as a seasonal employee in the hotel sector. At the time of his arrest he lived in Agios Nikolaos in the northeast Crete together with other employees.

The investigation links him to Hamas – the Palestinian movement, which European Union, USA, Israel and a number of other countries have been added to the lists of terrorist organizations. However, this status is not universally recognized throughout the world, so precision of wording is especially important in such materials. Yes, journalism is again forced to work as a legal sapper, because otherwise the mine will explode under the editorship.

What is known about the suspect

In his initial testimony, the detainee, according to Greek media, said that he had not yet made an explosive device. At the same time, he admitted that he ordered materials via the Internet that could be used for the production of explosives.

During a search of his apartment, law enforcement officers found precision scales and a glass measuring cup. Authorities are also reviewing digital evidence seized during the investigation, including electronic devices and storage media.

According to investigators, the suspect had previously traveled to Malaysiawhere he could undergo training in the manufacture of explosive devices. His wife and three children are said to live in Gaza Strip.

Link to the Cyprus investigation

Greek authorities are also checking the connection of the detainee with the suspects arrested on Cyprus as part of a case about the possible preparation of attacks against Israeli targets.

According to investigators, contacts between the defendants were established after analyzing phones and computer equipment. Cypriot authorities said the detained suspects may have been planning attacks on targets associated with Israelnot only on Cyprusbut also in other countries European Union.

Officials emphasize that at the time of his arrest, the suspect, in their assessment, was not yet fully prepared to carry out the attack. However, the authorities had concerns that he could try to take action in the near future – on Crete or in another part Greece.

Why is this important for Greece

For Greece this story is particularly sensitive. The country remains an important tourist destination and has active ties with Israelhosts millions of foreign visitors while also being located in a region where Middle Eastern conflicts all too easily go off the map.

In such a situation Crete is not only a resort island with hotels, ports and airports. For intelligence agencies, it becomes part of a broader security system, where any suspicion of an attack against Israeli or Jewish targets is perceived as a potential threat to public safety.

European footprint

Case on Crete fits into the wider European context. In recent months, security forces across Europe have reported investigations into possible networks that could be plotting attacks against Jewish or Israeli targets.

At the end of May at Norway law enforcement officers detained two men on suspicion of involvement in the supply of weapons, which, according to investigators, could have been intended for structures associated with Hamas.

These reports heighten the concern of European security services: we are talking not only about individual episodes, but also about attempts to create logistics, contacts and infrastructure for attacks outside Middle East.

And each such case reminds us: security in Europe has long ceased to be a topic for beautiful press releases. Now this is the daily work of the intelligence services, the police and the judiciary – boring, difficult and, as practice shows, much more useful than the next cheerful statements that “the situation is under control.”

Source link