Germany Trial Begins for Two Men Accused of Spying on Jews for Iran
A trial has started in Germany against two men accused of plotting attacks on Jewish targets on behalf of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
A court in Germany opened proceedings on Friday against two men charged with espionage and planning attacks against Jewish individuals and institutions at the behest of Iran's intelligence services.
Ali S., a Danish national, faces charges of espionage, attempted murder, attempted arson, and sabotage. His co-defendant, Tavab M., an Afghan citizen, is charged with attempted murder.
Prosecutors allege that Ali S. surveilled Volker Beck, president of the German-Israeli Society (DIG), with the intention of killing him. He is also accused of monitoring Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, as well as the owners of two Jewish grocery stores in Berlin.
The surveillance was part of a plan to carry out attacks, according to the prosecution. Ali S. is said to have received orders in early 2025 from the Quds Force, the foreign operations arm of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Both men were arrested last year in Denmark and subsequently extradited to Germany, where they remain in pretrial detention.
Following the announcement of charges in May, Beck called on Berlin to expel Iran's ambassador and consular staff. In July 2025, Germany's Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest Ali S.'s arrest in Denmark.
Iran's embassy in Berlin has dismissed the allegations as baseless and fabricated, claiming they were made at the behest of Iran's enemies.
