Former Haniyeh bodyguard arrested in London after foiled plot against Jewish targets in Europe - report

A former bodyguard of deceased Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh obtained asylum and later citizenship in Britain before becoming a suspect in an alleged plot to attack Jewish targets in Europe, The Sunday Times reported.

The man, who is in his forties, was arrested in central London last November. He remains in custody awaiting trial in a separate UK criminal case and cannot currently be identified because of reporting restrictions, according to the account provided.

Investigators allege that the planned attacks could have targeted Jewish community centers, Israeli diplomats or pro-Israel gatherings in Germany or Austria around the second anniversary of the October 7 attack.

The London arrest was part of a coordinated investigation involving authorities in Germany, Austria, Denmark and Britain, which led to seven suspects being detained and weapons being recovered, including an AK-47. Israeli intelligence was reportedly involved.

According to the reported indictment, the suspect recorded a video while masked and armed, with a Hamas flag behind him. In the video, he allegedly described the plot as retaliation on behalf of Hamas’s military wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.

The man had previously been arrested in Egypt over an alleged tunnel used to smuggle weapons and gold into Gaza, report said. He later moved to Britain, where he received refugee status and citizenship and worked as an IT consultant. The newspaper said his past Hamas connections were publicly known, but he was not initially a priority for British security services.

The case has drawn attention to how a man with ties to a senior Hamas figure came to live and work in Britain before his arrest. The investigation and criminal proceedings are ongoing.