A man is due to appear in court in Germany accused of helping Iran plot murderous attacks on Jews in Germany.
Prosecutors say the suspect, a Danish national of Afghan origin, carried out extensive surveillance on leading members of the Jewish community.
Working under orders from Iran, he allegedly supplied intelligence on Jewish figures and Jewish-owned businesses - all spied on as part of preparations for murder and deadly arson attacks.
The case will be heard before the state security senate of the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in the northern port city of Hamburg.
According to Germany’s federal prosecutors, the man was tasked with spying by Iran’s notorious Al-Quds Force – the overseas operations arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – with gathering intelligence on potential attack targets.
Among those targeted were the president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, and former German MP Volker Beck, who now heads the German-Israeli Society.
Investigators believe the suspect was also ordered to spy on two Jewish food businesses in Berlin.
The suspect is accused of travelling to Berlin during spring 2025 and carrying out comprehensive reconnaissance missions on behalf of his Iranian handlers.
A second man, an Afghan national, will also appear in the dock.
Prosecutors claim he offered support for preparations linked to a possible deadly attack on members of the Jewish community.
The main suspect was arrested in the Danish city of Aarhus on 26 June 2025 before being extradited to stand trial in Germany.
He has remained behind bars ever since, being held in pretrial detention.
His alleged accomplice was arrested in Denmark several months later and was likewise extradited to Germany.
The Hamburg trial is expected to run until at least October 2026, with judges already scheduling a further 18 hearings.
The case first emerged after intelligence supplied by a foreign partner agency alerted German authorities.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt later revealed that several international intelligence services had cooperated in the operation.
And Israel’s Mossad also played a role in uncovering the alleged network.
At the time of the arrests, Dobrindt said the suspect was believed to have been preparing for potential arson attacks and may have even sought to recruit others to carry them out.
The allegations were so disturbing that Germany summoned Iran’s ambassador to the Foreign Office to demand an explanation.
Iran, however, has strongly denied the claims.
Its embassy in Berlin called the allegations “unfounded and dangerous” and claimed they were part of a political campaign linked to tensions between Iran and Israel.
The trial begins in Hamburg on Friday.
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