Despite the current ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, German intelligence chiefs warn that the terrorist group Hamas could increase its activity in the Federal Republic. The number of “foreign extremist” attacks has risen sharply this year, and Germany is increasingly seen as a “safe haven” for the group―backed by its own embeded local infrastructure.
Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) president Sinan Selen told the Bundestag
I can in no way give the all-clear regarding Hamas and its activities in Europe and also in Germany.
Domestic intelligence estimates that around 32,500 people in Germany fall within what it calls the “foreign extremist” spectrum, mostly Islamist. This number has grown by 6% this year alone.
Federal Intelligence Service (BND) chief Martin Jäger noted that Hamas could exploit this potential, particularly if its power in Gaza weakens following the ceasefire:
If Hamas were to be expelled from Gaza or forced back underground, there is a very real risk that it would then expand outside of Gaza.
Jäger compared the potential expansion to past European attacks by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in the 1960s and 1970s.
The threat to Israeli and Jewish institutions in Germany is also rising. Last week, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) arrested three suspected Hamas members in Berlin, confiscating weapons intended for attacks on Jews and Israelis.
Shortly after the Gaza ceasefire, Hamas also executed at least 32 alleged “gang” members in the Strip, a move aimed at consolidating the terrorist organization’s power.
German authorities emphasize ongoing vigilance. “We will continue to monitor this with the utmost attention,” Jäger added.
