A Danish national suspected of gathering intelligence on Jewish individuals and locations in Berlin on behalf of Iranian authorities has been arrested in Denmark, German prosecutors said Tuesday.
The suspect, identified only as Ali S. in accordance with German privacy laws, was detained last Thursday in the Danish city of Aarhus, according to a statement from federal prosecutors.
He is accused of working for an Iranian intelligence agency, which allegedly tasked him earlier this year with collecting information on “Jewish sites and specific Jewish individuals” in Berlin. Prosecutors say he conducted surveillance on three properties in June, which they believe may have been part of preparations for additional intelligence operations or potential attacks on Jewish targets in Germany.
"If these suspicions are confirmed, we are facing a deeply alarming operation," said German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig, adding that the protection of Jewish communities remains a top priority for the German government.
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Following a brief but intense conflict between Israel and Iran in June, German security agencies increased protective measures for Jewish and Israeli establishments across the country.
The suspect’s arrest followed intelligence shared by Germany’s domestic security service. He is expected to be extradited to Germany, where a judge will decide whether he remains in custody while formal charges are prepared. The exact timeline for his extradition remains unclear.
In response to the incident, Germany summoned Iranian Ambassador Majid Nili Ahmadabadi to its Foreign Ministry.
The Iranian Embassy in Berlin dismissed the allegations as “unfounded and dangerous,” claiming they are part of a deliberate attempt to distract from Israel’s recent military actions against Iran and the deaths of Iranian citizens.
Germany, a close ally of Israel, has long had strained relations with Tehran. Nevertheless, it remains one of the European nations engaged in diplomatic efforts regarding Iran’s nuclear program.
Relations worsened further in October, when Germany ordered the closure of all three Iranian consulates following Tehran’s announcement of the execution of Jamshid Sharmahd — an Iranian-German national living in the United States who was abducted by Iranian security forces in Dubai in 2020. Iran's embassy in Berlin now remains its only diplomatic mission in the country.