Greek authorities have arrested a 37-year-old Palestinian man in Crete on suspicion of involvement with Hamas and planning a terrorist attack on Israeli targets in Europe. The midnight operation on Saturday was carried out jointly by Greece's National Intelligence Service (EYP) and the Counter-Terrorism Directorate for Special Crimes of Violence (DAEEB). The suspect, who had been living in the Agios Nikolaos area — a town on Crete's northeastern coast — for nearly two years and working at a local hotel, reportedly admitted to contacts with others involved in preparations for a terrorist attack.
Searches of residences in Crete and Athens yielded mobile phones, a laptop, data storage devices, bank cards, and laboratory equipment including liquid dispensers, chemical reagents, and precision scales. The suspect had also ordered chemicals online capable of being used in the manufacture of explosives, though the materials had not yet arrived. Greek public broadcaster ERT reported that authorities believe he intended to construct a chemical bomb. One possible target under investigation is an Israeli cruise ship scheduled to call at Crete; however, officials stress the plan had not advanced beyond the material-gathering stage.
The arrest is directly linked to a broader regional investigation. Cypriot authorities had detained four Palestinians on 22 May, initially arresting two men in whose residences explosive-making materials were found, then apprehending two more shortly afterwards. Greek investigators say the Crete suspect was in contact with at least one of those arrested in Cyprus, and that the two had travelled together to Malaysia, where they allegedly received training in the production of explosives. The overall plan, according to authorities, was for the suspects to regroup and carry out an attack on an Israeli-interest target somewhere in Europe, with Greece among the locations considered.
The detainee, described as an electrician who kept a low profile and had no family in Crete, is reported to be legally resident in Greece. He was expected to be brought before a prosecutor as the investigation continues. Why this matters: the case illustrates the cross-border nature of suspected militant networks operating within Europe, and comes amid heightened security concerns across the continent regarding attacks on Israeli or Jewish targets. The coordination between Greek and Cypriot intelligence services points to growing regional cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts.