Denmark, Germany arrest terror suspects, including alleged Hamas members

The announcements were issued separately and it was unclear how the arrests were connected and if they were the result of coordinated actions or a single operation spanning Europe.

Denmark and Germany announced Thursday arrests of several terror suspects, including alleged Hamas members suspected of plotting attacks on Jews and Jewish institutions in Europe over the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

The announcements were issued separately and it was unclear how the arrests were connected and if they were the result of coordinated actions, or even possibly one operation spanning the continent.

Danish police said three people were arrested across Denmark while a fourth person was detained in the Netherlands on suspicion of plotting to carry out “an act of terror.”

Officials in Copenhagen did not provide any details beyond saying the arrests had “threads abroad” and were “related to criminal gangs,” singling out the banned, predominantly immigrant gang Loyal to Familia that had long been behind feuds, violence, robberies, extortion and drug sales in the Danish capital.

However, Flemming Drejer, the operative head of Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service, cryptically said police had “a special focus” on Jewish institutions. He said Denmark was not changing its terror threat level, which has been at “serious,” the second-highest level, since 2010.

”Persons abroad have been charged. … It is a serious situation,” Drejer told a news conference, adding that the arrests were carried out in “collaboration with our foreign partners” and that those arrested were part of “a network.”

The suspects would face a custody hearing within 24 hours, he said, likely behind “double closed doors” — meaning he could not give any details about the case.

“This is extremely serious,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Thursday from Brussels where she was attending a European Union summit.