Agents of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Directorate for Combating Special Violent Crimes (DAEEV) proceeded to arrest a 37-year-old Palestinian man originally from the Gaza Strip in Agios Nikolaos, Crete , accused of joining the terrorist organization Hamas , receiving training, traveling and planning a terrorist act . The authorities are seriously considering the possibility that the target was a cruise ship of Israeli interests that was expected to dock at the island next Tuesday.
The thread that led to the arrest unfolds a few hundred kilometers away, in Cyprus, where two Palestinians were recently arrested in connection with cases involving Hamas terrorist activity, specifically bombing attacks in Jerusalem .
Following these arrests, information about the 37-year-old reached the EYP about a week ago. Greek authorities immediately placed him under close surveillance , which ultimately led to the joint operation.
The defendant’s profile combines elements that make it difficult to trace his use by an organization. The 37-year-old had been in Greece for a year, had received asylum status and was working in a hotel in Agios Nikolaos. Before his relocation to Crete, he lived in Patisia , Athens, alone. An outwardly ordinary life, with no criminal record in Greece, on the fringes of the tourist crowds of one of the country’s most famous resorts.
According to the information, the arrested person allegedly admitted to his actions, that he had contacts, that he was preparing and collecting materials to create the conditions and mechanisms for a strike. However, he refuted the extent of his involvement, stating that “he has now backed down and probably would not have done it”, a weakness that the authorities do not seem to consider as a mitigating factor, given that the readiness to order explosives is in itself a criminal act.
The possible target is what dramatically elevates the importance of the case. According to information, authorities are examining whether the target was a cruise ship with Israeli interests that was scheduled to approach the island on Tuesday .
Targeting a cruise ship is a familiar tactic by actors seeking mass casualties at symbolically and commercially important facilities. The proximity of a crowded Israeli ship — especially at a time when the region is experiencing heightened tension due to the US-Iran war — could be a powerful incentive for an action with international resonance.
As part of the operation, searches were carried out in both Crete and Athens , during which mobile phones, laptops, data storage media, bank cards and laboratory equipment were found and seized. Particularly important is the seizure of a scale and other equipment possibly related to the preparation of energy. Objects that are common materials in the process of synthesizing explosive devices.
The connection to Cyprus gives the case a network dimension that authorities are intensively investigating. The two Palestinians arrested in the neighboring country with explosives and terrorism charges are linked to a Hamas operational network that appears to extend geographically beyond the war zone.
The speed with which the relevant information was transferred from Cyprus to EYP and the completion of the operation within a week reflect operational readiness based on the bilateral exchange of information between Greek and Cypriot services, however, the Israeli secret services played an important role.
The case is part of a European pattern that has become increasingly apparent since October 2023: the detection of suspects allegedly linked to Hamas or other Palestinian organizations in EU countries, often with a legal presence, and with a profile that does not distinguish them from the general public. Germany, Austria, Denmark, Cyprus and now Greece have faced similar cases. Crete, with its mass tourist flow, Israeli cruise ships and cosmopolitan atmosphere, is not an arbitrary choice for a man who was allegedly seeking a wider scope of action and at the same time cover in the anonymity of the tourist society.
The 37-year-old is expected to be brought before the competent prosecutor , while investigations are in full swing. The training he allegedly received, the reason and extent of his contacts with those arrested in Cyprus, and most importantly the actual level of preparedness he had reached are being examined. His statement that he “now backed down” is one of the many elements that will be evaluated in depth, while the scales and laboratory equipment show that the preparation was not only theoretical, but also material .
