Israel says Danish terrorism suspects are linked to Hamas

Four suspects in Thursday’s attack, detained in Denmark and the Netherlands, have been accused by the Israeli government of having links to the Islamist movement Hamas.

“Danish security and police services have arrested seven terrorists who were acting on behalf of the terrorist organization Hamas, foiling an attack that aimed to kill innocent civilians on European soil,” the Israeli government said in a statement.

“In recent years, especially after the deadly attack on October 7 [quando o movimento islamita atacou inicialmente Israel, provocando uma guerra que já dura há mais de dois meses]”Hamas has sought to expand its operational capabilities around the world, especially in Europe, in order to achieve its goal of attacking Israelis, Jews and Western targets at any cost,” the statement said.

“We congratulate our security and police partners in Denmark on the success of their counter-terrorism operation,” which “exposes the expansion of Hamas infrastructure in Europe,” it adds.

Three people were arrested in Denmark and another in the Netherlands in a joint operation on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a “terrorist act,” according to Danish Police and Intelligence (PET).

PET operations director Flemming Dreyer said at a press conference held this Thursday that the group, which he said was linked to the network, had ties to foreign countries and organized crime.

Intelligence agencies considered the terrorist threat “critical,” assigning it a level four out of five.

Denmark and neighboring Sweden recently became the target of outrage from Muslim countries when citizens of both countries desecrated the Koran.

Earlier this month, European Union Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said Europe faces a “huge risk of terrorist attacks” over the Christmas holiday due to the fallout from the war between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas.

Hamas’s first attack on Israel, unprecedented since the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, led to the deaths of 1,200 people and the taking of more than 200 hostages, according to Tel Aviv authorities.

Israel responded by bombing Gaza and blocking the entry of essential goods such as water, medicine and fuel.

Although both sides agreed to a truce for several days to allow for a prisoner exchange and access to humanitarian aid, Palestinian authorities say more than 15,000 people have died on their side.