BERLIN (AP) — A Lebanese man is accused of being a member of the Militant group Hezbollah and who purchased drone parts destined for export to Israel have been arrested in Germany, prosecutors said Monday.
The suspect, identified only as Fadel Z. under German privacy rules, was arrested Sunday in Salzgitter in northern Germany, federal prosecutors said in a statement. He is suspected of membership in a foreign terrorist organization.
He joined Hezbollah in Lebanon in the summer of 2016, prosecutors said. This year, he allegedly began purchasing components for the group in Germany to assemble military drones, specifically engines. “They were to be exported to Lebanon and used in terrorist attacks against Israel,” prosecutors said.
On Monday, Fadel Z. appeared before the judge, who remanded him in custody pending possible charges.
Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel have exchanged firefights almost daily since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas nine months ago.
Hezbollah says it is attacking Israel in solidarity with Hamas, another Iran-backed group that has fueled the uprising. the war in Gaza with its October 7 attack in southern Israel. Hezbollah leadership says it will stop its attacks once there is a ceasefire in Gaza and that while it does not want war, it is ready for it.