German federal prosecutors have charged two men suspected of involvement in an Iran-linked plot targeting prominent Jewish figures.
According to authorities, the suspects—a Danish national identified as Ali S. and an Afghan national, Tawab M.—are accused of helping to prepare attacks against leaders of Jewish organisations in Germany. Both men face charges related to attempted murder, while Ali S. is also accused of acting as an agent for a foreign intelligence service.
Prosecutors allege that Ali S. worked on behalf of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and maintained close contact with its elite Quds Force. In early 2025, he was reportedly tasked with gathering intelligence on high-profile targets, including Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, and Volker Beck, head of the German-Israeli Society. Prosecutors said in a statement:
All of this was intended to facilitate the planning of murder and arson attacks in Germany.
Investigators say Ali S. scouted locations in Berlin and attempted to recruit accomplices. By mid-2025, he was allegedly in contact with Tawab M., who is accused of offering to help procure a weapon and support an attack against one of the targets.
The pair were arrested separately in Denmark, with Ali S. detained in June 2025 and Tawab M. in November. German prosecutors formally filed charges at Hamburg’s state court earlier this month.
Following Ali S.’s arrest, Germany summoned Iran’s ambassador, while Tehran rejected the allegations as “unfounded and dangerous.”
