Hamas bodyguard to be extradited from UK to Germany over massacre plot

Detailed summary

The bodyguard of the former leader of Hamas is wanted in Germany on charges of plotting an attack on Jewish targets, The National can reveal. Mohammed Al Fatih is accused along…

The bodyguard of the former leader of Hamas is wanted in Germany on charges of plotting an attack on Jewish targets, The National can reveal.

Mohammed Al Fatih is accused along with seven other men of planning to carry out a massacre on the second anniversary of the October 7 attacks. Investigators believe the targets were Israeli diplomats, Jewish community centres and pro-Israel commemorations. Police broke up the plot before the group was mobilised.

His identity can be revealed after the conclusion of an assault trial in the UK. Al Fatih, 40, also known as Mohammad Basem Naim, has been living in the UK since 2014 and has been granted asylum, but he now faces a prison sentence and enforcement of a German extradition warrant.

According to information released by Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency soon after Al Fatih’s arrest, his father is Basem Naim, a senior Hamas figure based in Gaza who served as health minister.

Al Fatih’s dual identity can be revealed after he was convicted following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court of wounding a debt collector.

The trial heard that Al Fatih was born in Germany and raised in Gaza but came to the UK in 2014 and was given asylum the following year. Since then he has been working as work an IT consultant while living in a Birmingham suburb with his wife and children.

The court was told the bailiff arrived at his house to collect a £900 ($1,200) payment for parking fines incurred by his wife. A scuffle broke out between Al Fatih and the bailiff, who retreated to his van. Al Fatih pursued him, carrying two kitchen knives, and smashed the vehicle’s window with a brick.

Prosecutor Matthew Brook said Al Fatih “stabbed out towards the driver’s window with one of the knives he was holding”, leaving the bailiff with a 1-2cm cut on his head.

A jury on Friday found Al Fatih guilty of wounding the bailiff, but not guilty of wounding with intent. He was detained in custody for sentencing and extradition proceedings will resume.

Opening of the article, excerpted from The National. To read the rest, open the article on the publisher's site.