Greek Police Arrest Two Suspects in Thwarted Iranian Terror Plot Against Athens Jewish Sites

Two Iran-born Pakistani men were arrested by Greek police on Tuesday over an alleged plot to conduct mass-casualty terrorist attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets in Athens.

The suspects, ages 27 and 29, were part of a Tehran regime-backed network, according to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, which was involved in thwarting the planned attacks.

A third man, not located in Greece, is wanted for questioning and was charged in absentia.

Media reports said the Chabad House in central Athens, which includes a synagogue and kosher restaurant, was a target in the plot.

“Their aim was not only to cause the loss of life of innocent citizens, but also to undermine the sense of security in the country, while hurting public institutions and threatening [Greece’s] international relations,” a Greek police statement said.

“An analysis of the seized information and digital data revealed and confirmed that the members of the network had already chosen as the target of the attack a building of special importance, had carried out the reconnaissance of the area and the planning of the attack, and had received final instructions to carry out the attack,” the Greek police noted.

The Mossad said in a statement, “After the investigation of the suspects began in Greece, Mossad assisted in unraveling intelligence of the infrastructure, the methods of operation, and the connection to Iran.”

Iran has a long history of terror activities against Israeli and Jewish targets around the world, including deadly bombings of the Israeli Embassy and AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1992 and 1994, and an Israeli tourist bus outside Burgas Airport in Bulgaria in 2012, among other incidents.

Greek police arrested two Pakistanis who were planning attacks on h Israelis in #Athens. This arrest was part of a larger bust on a terror network in the city that was targeting Israeli and Jewish sites.

Thank you @hellenicpolice for ensuring the https://t.co/uJbfQ6Rt0V…

— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) March 28, 2023