The 37-year-old suspected Hamas member is led before a prosecutor in Athens, Greece, on June 8, 2026. [Nikos Mitsousias/Intime News]
Greek and Cypriot authorities say Palestinians arrested in Cyprus and Greece formed an active Hamas-linked cell, with five people already in custody and investigators examining the role of at least one additional individual.
Authorities identify a 38-year-old Palestinian arrested May 21 at a rented vacation home near Limassol’s Governor’s Beach as the alleged organizer of the network. According to Cypriot police sources, precursor substances used in making explosives were found at the property. He is alleged to have entered Cyprus illegally through the Turkish-occupied north of the island and to have organized, financed and participated in a trip to Malaysia in August 2025 for training related to explosives.
A 37-year-old Palestinian arrested last Saturday in Agios Nikolaos, Crete, also took part in that trip. He allegedly admitted involvement in the organization and said his aim had been to carry out a terrorist attack in Greece. He also claimed he initially backed out of the Malaysia trip but ultimately went because he had accepted money from the 38-year-old and had become financially dependent on him. Investigators say that explanation could be a defense claim.
