A man suspected of being affiliated with Hamas, who reportedly received asylum following the Gaza conflict a year ago, has been detained by Greek authorities. He is accused of planning an attack on an Israeli cruise ship.
The 37-year-old from Gaza was apprehended on the island of Crete on Sunday. His arrest is linked to one of four other individuals suspected of being Hamas operatives, who were previously detained in Cyprus. These individuals allegedly traveled together to Malaysia, where they purportedly received training on creating explosives using chemicals that are commercially accessible.
The target of the suspected attack was the Israeli cruise liner MS Crown Iris, which was expected to dock in Crete on Tuesday. Law enforcement has withheld the suspect’s identity and did not specify the intended target in their initial reports.
Authorities conducted searches in residences located in Crete and Athens, uncovering several mobile phones, a laptop, external hard drives, and bank cards, as reported by The Associated Press.
Prior to the arrest, a protest took place on Wednesday at the port of Piraeus near Athens. Demonstrators opposed the arrival of the Crown Iris cruise ship, coinciding with the time around the suspect’s detention.
