Jerusalem, 7 June, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Greek authorities believe they have uncovered a wider Hamas-linked terror network following the arrest of a 37-year-old Palestinian in Crete, with investigators examining possible connections to four Palestinians arrested in Cyprus over the past two weeks.
The suspects are believed to have been planning attacks against Israeli-linked targets in both countries.
The man arrested in Crete reportedly admitted during a lengthy interrogation that he intended to carry out an attack on behalf of the Hamas. Authorities believe the target was connected to Israelis or Israeli interests, with a cruise ship bound for Crete among the possible scenarios.
Investigators are also examining information that the 37-year-old had trained at a Hamas camp in Malaysia, where two of the Palestinians arrested in Cyprus are also alleged to have received training. The three men are believed to have been instructed in the manufacture of explosives.
Greek authorities reportedly found tools in the suspect’s apartment in Athens’s Patissia district that could have been used to assemble explosive devices. Officials believe the materials needed to produce the explosives had not yet been delivered. The suspect also maintained a second apartment in Crete.
In Cyprus, police and foreign security services are continuing their investigation under tight secrecy. Four Palestinians remain in custody: a 32-year-old and a 38-year-old, both considered central to the case, and two other suspects, ages 54 and 57, who are alleged to have assisted them.
The two younger suspects were brought before a Cypriot court on Sunday, where their remand was renewed for another five days. The two older suspects had their remand renewed for the same period a day earlier.
The 32-year-old and 38-year-old admitted in court that they intended to strike Israeli citizens and Israeli targets, but did not provide further details.
The two older suspects are reported to have lived in Cyprus for years and may have obtained Cypriot citizenship, a development that has raised concern among investigators now examining their background and contacts.
Cypriot authorities previously found large quantities of materials used to manufacture explosives at a house in Governor’s Beach and at an apartment in Larnaca. The substances included ammonium nitrate.
The latest findings suggest investigators are dealing not with an isolated plot, but with a broader operational network involving shared training, possible logistical support, and links between suspects in Greece and Cyprus.