Hamas-linked weapons cache present in Vienna

[ad_1] VIENNA (AP) — Austria’s home intelligence service has uncovered a weapons cache in Vienna that's believed to be linked to the Palestinian militant group Hamas to be used in “potential terrorist assaults in Europe,” the federal government mentioned Thursday.

A 39-year-old unidentified British citizen allegedly “having shut ties to the weapons cache” was arrested in London on Monday, the inside ministry assertion mentioned.

“In keeping with the present state of the investigation, Israeli or Jewish establishments in Europe have been more likely to be the targets of those assaults,” it added.

The weapons cache and the suspect have been a part of an internationally coordinated investigation by the nation’s Directorate for State Safety and Intelligence service, or DSN, “into a worldwide terrorist group with ties to Hamas.”

In the midst of the investigations, the ministry mentioned its intelligence service discovered “suspicion {that a} group has introduced weapons into Austria to make use of in potential terrorist assaults in Europe.”

Germany’s federal prosecutor’s workplace in a while Thursday recognized the suspect as Mohammed A. according to German privateness strains. It mentioned in an announcement that he met up twice with Abdel Al G. who was arrested in Germany last month on suspicion of plotting assaults on Israeli or Jewish institutions in Germany .

“On these events, Mohammed A. took over 5 handguns and ammunition from Abed Al G. He then transported the weapons to Austria and saved them in Vienna,” the prosecutor’s assertion mentioned. “These actions served to arrange terrorist assaults on Israeli or Jewish services in Germany.”

The assertion mentioned that “after his extradition from Nice Britain,” the suspect can be introduced earlier than an investigating decide on the Federal Court docket of Justice in Germany.

In an announcement on the time, Hamas denied having any connection to the suspects arrested in Germany final month, describing the allegations of a hyperlink to the group as baseless. The group has carried out tons of of assaults towards Israeli civilians through the years however has hardly ever operated exterior Israel and the Palestinian territories.

The weapons cache, which is assumed belongs to unspecified overseas operations linked to Hamas, was found in a suitcase in a rented storage room in Vienna and contained 5 handguns and 10 accompanying magazines.

“The present case reveals as soon as once more that the Directorate for State Safety and Intelligence has a wonderful worldwide community and takes constant motion towards all types of extremism,” Austrian Inside Minister Gerhard Karner mentioned. “The mission is evident: zero tolerance for terrorists.”

Britain’s Nationwide Crime Company confirmed on Thursday that the 39-year-old was arrested in central London on Monday by specialist officers from the NCA’s Nationwide Extradition Unit. He's being held in custody till his subsequent look at Westminster Magistrates’ Court docket on Monday.

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