On the 28^th March the Greek police arrested two Pakistanis who were suspected of planning terrorist attacks, with the intention of causing mass victims. They were aimed at Israeli targets in Greece. The Israeli intelligence service, the Mossad that contributed to the investigation of the Greek authorities highlighted in one of its statements that the two citizens were part of an Iranian terrorist network.

The two Pakistanis were born in Iran and are 27 and 29 years of age. According to information provided by the Greek authorities, they are detained at the headquarters of the Greek police, in Athens. The two suspects illegally entered Greece, through Turkey and had been in the country for at least four months. A third man, who was not in Greece was sought for questioning and charged in absentia. According to information gathered so far, the two Pakistanis belong to a “rather large Iranian network that operates from Iran and many other countries”. The Greek police said that a terrorist attack was imminent. As the Greek media shows, “a thorough analysis of information and digital data collected so far, revealed and confirmed that the members of the network had already chosen a target to attack – a highly significant building – conducted a reconnaissance of the area, planned the attack and were given final instructions to carry on with the attack”.

According to information provided by a government official, one of the targets was a Jewish restaurant in the centre of Athens. Reports showed that the target was the Chabad House[1], which hosts a Kosher restaurant and officiates religious services. The official asked to remain anonymous, awaiting official announcements and statements. The police let know that the suspects chose a symbolic target and were going over the final details of the terrorist attack. The police communique showed that “Their aim was not only to cause loss of human lives, but to undermine the sense of security of the Greek population, and affect at the same time public institutions and Greece’s international relations”.

As part of its investigations, the police searched several places in Athens and in southern Greece, but also the island of Zakynthos. In an official statement, the Mossad highlighted the fact that it aided Greece in this “sensitive circumstance”, including at uncovering the ties with Iran. “After we started the investigation of the suspects in Greece, the Mossad helped with identifying and analysing the infrastructural data, modus operandi, and connection to Iran” – that is what the Israeli espionage structures revealed.

According to some reports, the authorities in Greece started to investigate the terrorist network following the arrest, in 2021, of two other Pakistanis, suspected of having organised terrorist attacks on the Israelis. The network was also tied to an Iranian plot thwarted in Turkey in 2022. According to a communique of the Greek police the Special Suppressive Counterterrorism Unit in Greece and the National Intelligence Service were involved in arrest operations. The Greek Minister for Civil Protection, Takis Theodorikakos stated that “the operation proves that the country’s security services are maintaining a high training standard for all Greek citizens, as well as for all foreign visitors”.

The Israeli Foreign Minister, Eli Cohen thanked Greece for countering the plot. According to his statements, “The Tehran regime is exporting terror in the Middle East and the world and only a firm attitude and cooperation will stop the terrorist activities of the Iranian regime”. The Mossad has also been working on countering terrorist activities that Iran is associated with, which target Israeli and Jewish facilities in some of the countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. Some of the countries that are considered of high risk are the EAU, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Bahrain.

Under the circumstances in which Greek officials mentioned that there was a terrorist network and that it had already chosen the “target of the attack” and planned to carry it on, Israel accused Tehran that it was behind the plot, because Israel believed it was another attempt from Iran to “promote terror against Israeli and Jewish targets abroad”.

The spokesperson of the Greek police, Konstantina Dimoglidou issued a statement for the media, where she said that the “brains” of the cell was “a Pakistani who lives outside Europe” and, according to police sources who chose to remain anonymous, he lives in Iran.

The Israeli Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant praised the Israeli intelligence services following their actions, saying that “the arrest of the terrorists who were planning to commit terrorist attacks in Athens proves once more how proficient the Israeli intelligence services are and how important it is to cooperate internationally to fight against terrorism”.

[1] Chabad Houses are community centres for traditional Judaism. They belong to the Chabad movement (an acronym for wisdom, understanding and knowledge). They are led by an emissary. The houses are placed all over the world (in cities, suburbs and/or in the vicinity of university campuses).