Austrian Intelligence Service Finds Weapons Related To Hamas In Vienna

JAKARTA - Austria's domestic intelligence service found weapons in Vienna believed to be linked to the Palestinian militant group Hamas to be used in "possibly terrorist attacks in Europe," the government said Thursday.

An unnamed 39-year-old British national suspected of having "close ties to weapons" was arrested in London on Monday, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

"According to current investigations, Israeli or Jewish institutions in Europe are most likely targets of this attack," he added, quoted by The Associated Press on November 7.

Weapons and suspects are part of an international coordinated investigation by the Austrian Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, or DSN, "with respect to global terrorist organizations linked to Hamas."

In the investigation process, the Ministry of Home Affairs said its intelligence services found "the suspicions of a group having taken weapons to Austria for use in possible terrorist attacks in Europe."

Later, Germany's federal prosecutor on Thursday identified the suspect as Mohammed A. in accordance with German privacy rules.

In a statement, the prosecutor's office stated he met twice with Abdel Al G. who was arrested in Germany last month on suspicion of planning an attack on Israeli or Jewish institutions in Germany.

"On this occasion, Mohammed A. took over five pistols and ammunition from Abed Al G. He then transported the weapons to Austria and stored them in Vienna," the prosecutor said in a statement.

"These actions aim to prepare terrorist attacks against Israeli or Jewish facilities in Germany," he added.

The statement stated that "after being extradited from Great Britain," the suspect would be brought before an investigative judge at the Federal Court in Germany.

Separately,Hamas denies having ties to the suspects arrested in Germany last month, and calls the allegations of links to the group baseless.

The weapon, which allegedly belonged to a foreign operation whose identity was not identified as being linked to Hamas, was found in a suitcase in a rental storage room in Vienna and contained five pistols and 10 magazines.

"This case once again shows that the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence has a very good international network and takes consistent action against all forms of extremism," said Austrian Interior Minister Dabkkarner.

"The mission is clear: there is no tolerance for terrorists," he said.

Separately, Britain's National Crime Agency confirmed on Thursday that the 39-year-old man was arrested in central London on Monday by specialist officers from the NCA National Extradition Unit. He was detained until his next hearing at the Westminster standoffs Court on Monday.