Iran’s secret service faces allegations to target Jews in Europe

• The case, known as “Marco Polo,” indicates a resurgence of Iranian state-sponsored terrorism in Europe.
• Iranian intelligence allegedly aimed to target civilians and instill fear in Europe among political opposition.
• Despite his probation, Abdelkrim S. made multiple trips to Germany for scouting purposes.

In May, a Paris court detained and charged a couple on accusations of involvement in Iranian plots to kill Jews in Germany and France, according to police sources. Authorities charged Abdelkrim S., 34, and his partner Sabrina B., 33, with conspiring with a criminal terrorist organization and placed them in pre-trial detention on May 4.

The case, known as “Marco Polo,” which French news website Mediapart revealed on Thursday, indicates a resurgence of Iranian state-sponsored terrorism in Europe, according to a report by France’s General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI).

“Since 2015, the Iranian (secret) services have resumed a targeted killing policy,” the French security agency wrote, adding that “the threat has worsened again in the context of the Israel-Hamas war.”

Iranian intelligence allegedly aimed to target civilians and instill fear in Europe among political opposition, Jews, and Israelis. Iran is accused of recruiting criminals, including drug lords, to carry out these operations.

Abdelkrim S. had previously served a 10-year sentence for a killing in Marseille and was released on probation in July 2023. He now faces accusations of being the primary France-based operative for an Iran-sponsored terrorist cell that planned acts of violence in France and Germany.

According to the DGSI, a former fellow inmate is believed to have connected the suspect with the cell’s coordinator, a major drug trafficker from the Lyon area who likely visited Iran in May. The group intended to attack a former employee of an Israeli security firm in Paris and three of his colleagues living in the Paris suburbs. They also targeted three Israeli-German citizens in Munich and Berlin.

Investigators believe that despite his probation, Abdelkrim S. made multiple trips to Germany for scouting purposes, including travels to Berlin with his wife. He has denied the accusations, claiming he only needed to make purchases. French authorities also credit the cell with plotting to set fire to four Israeli-owned companies in the south of France between late December 2023 and early January 2024, according to a police source.

While in detention, Abdelkrim S. rejected the claims, according to the source. He said he had acted as a go-between on Telegram for the mastermind and other individuals involved in a planned insurance scam.

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