Germany summons Iranian ambassador after Hamburg attack-plot convictions

Germany’s foreign ministry said on Monday that it had summoned Iran’s ambassador after a Hamburg court jailed two men over preparations for attacks in Germany. The ministry condemned what it called Iran’s activities and said it would not tolerate attacks on Jewish life or those who defend it. The summons was reported by Nieuws.nl and dts Nachrichtenagentur; neither report establishes whether a meeting had already taken place. [3] [4]

On 15 October, the court sentenced Ali S. to eight years and six months in prison for offences including intelligence work and attempted participation in murder and serious arson. Tawab M. received four years and six months for attempted participation in murder. According to a court statement carried by TP-Presseagentur, the judges were convinced that an Iranian intelligence service had recruited S. ZDF reported that the court also considered him embedded in the Revolutionary Guards and their Quds Force. [1] [5]

The court’s account said S. had been tasked with gathering information about Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, and Volker Beck, head of the German-Israeli Society. It also described surveillance of a Jewish food shop in Berlin and arrangements to obtain a weapon for an attack on Beck. These were preparations, not a completed attack: the court refused Beck’s request to join the prosecution as an injured party because no attempted attack had yet taken place, according to NDR. [1] [9]

Foreign minister Johann Wadephul had said on Friday that Germany would respond to the verdict. Iran’s embassy rejected any Iranian involvement in the case after the ruling, according to Saba, which attributed the response to Iran’s IRNA news agency. S.’s lawyer called the verdict politically motivated, disputed the strength of the intelligence evidence and said he would seek a review. The court statement said the judgment was not yet final when it was announced. [8]