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The Independent
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Man accused of gathering information on Jews in Berlin for Iran arrested in Denmark, officials say
A man suspected of gathering information on Jewish locations and individuals in Berlin for Iranian intelligence, possibly with a view to carrying out attacks, has been arrested in Denmark, German prosecutors said Tuesday. The Danish national, identified only as Ali S. in line with German privacy rules, was arrested on Thursday in the Danish city of Aarhus, federal prosecutors said in a statement. The man was tasked by an Iranian intelligence service early this year with gathering information on 'Jewish localities and specific Jewish individuals' in Berlin, prosecutors said. They didn't elaborate. He spied on three properties in June, 'presumably in preparation of further intelligence activities in Germany, possibly including terrorist attacks on Jewish targets,' prosecutors said. The suspect is accused of working for an intelligence service of a foreign power. The information leading to his arrest came from Germany's domestic intelligence service, prosecutors said. The suspect will be brought before a judge in Germany to determine whether he is kept in custody pending formal charges after extradition from Denmark. It was not immediately clear when that will happen. Germany is a staunch ally of Israel and has a long history of tense relations with Tehran, though it has been one of the three leading European powers trying to engage Iran in diplomacy over its nuclear program. In October, Germany ordered the closure of all three Iranian Consulates in the country in response to the Iranian judiciary's announcement of the execution of Iranian German prisoner Jamshid Sharmahd, who lived in the United States and was kidnapped in Dubai in 2020 by Iranian security forces. That left the Islamic Republic with only its embassy in Berlin.
Associated Press
5 days ago
- Associated Press
Man accused of gathering information on Jews in Berlin for Iran arrested in Denmark, officials say
BERLIN (AP) — A man suspected of gathering information on Jewish locations and individuals in Berlin for Iranian intelligence, possibly with a view to carrying out attacks, has been arrested in Denmark, German prosecutors said Tuesday. The Danish national, identified only as Ali S., was arrested on Thursday in the Danish city of Aarhus, federal prosecutors said in a statement. They said that the man was tasked by an Iranian intelligence service early this year with gathering information on 'Jewish localities and specific Jewish individuals' in Berlin and spied on three properties in June.
Malay Mail
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Britain's new MI6 chief's grandfather was spy for Hitler dubbed ‘The Butcher'
LONDON, June 27 — Britain's incoming MI6 chief Blaise Metreweli is facing uncomfortable scrutiny after revelations surfaced linking her paternal grandfather to Nazi war crimes in Ukraine during World War II. Metreweli, who is set to become the first woman to lead the Secret Intelligence Service, was widely praised for her intelligence, discretion, and exemplary service record when her appointment was announced earlier this month, according to a report in Mail Online. But German archives have revealed that her grandfather, Constantine Dobrowolski, was a Nazi collaborator and local intelligence chief in the Ukrainian region of Chernihiv, known for spying and killing on behalf of Hitler's regime. 'Captain Dobrowolski is a convinced opponent of Bolshevism and, accordingly, the most hated man among the Bolsheviks,' a German military assessment stated, praising his 'excellent reconnaissance' and branding him a 'talented gang fighter'. Dobrowolski, born in 1906, defected from the Red Army in 1941 and assisted the Nazis in tracking down resistance fighters and organising the extermination of Jewish communities, according to hundreds of pages of wartime documents. Metreweli, 47, never knew her grandfather, who remained in Ukraine as her grandmother fled west with their infant son — Metreweli's father — in 1943. The family later settled in the UK, adopting the stepfather's surname, Metreweli. While these revelations have no bearing on Metreweli's personal actions or loyalties, they risk becoming ammunition for Kremlin propaganda efforts, particularly as Russia seeks to label Ukraine and its allies as neo-Nazis. Professor Beka Kobakhidze of Ilia State University in Georgia warned the story would likely be exploited: 'I can say with confidence that this will become a favourite talking point for Kremlin propagandists for years to come.' Russia's state-aligned media has already speculated on Metreweli's Ukrainian roots, attempting to conflate her heritage with Nazi sympathies — a narrative experts fear could intensify as her profile rises. The Foreign Office responded by affirming Metreweli's dedication to public service: 'Blaise Metreweli neither knew nor met her paternal grandfather... her commitment to protect the British public stems from a complex heritage marked by conflict.' Metreweli has served in senior roles across MI6, MI5, and the Foreign Office, with a career that spans high-stakes operations in Europe and the Middle East since the early 2000s. As she prepares to assume the role of 'C', the head of MI6, Metreweli's past underscores the reality that while individuals can shape their destinies, they cannot choose their lineage — a truth not lost on Britain's intelligence community.
Washington Post
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Ukraine intelligence chief gives new details on Spiderweb drone operation
KYIV — For one year, six months and nine days, Ukraine's intelligence service carefully plotted, designed and built special drones, concealed in prefabricated mobile homes that were then transported across borders to strike an surprising blow thousands of miles away against Russia's strategic bomber fleet. Intelligence chief Vasyl Maliuk revealed to journalists new details of Operation Spiderweb in a two-hour conversation on Sunday about the plan to attack Russia's air bases on June 1 that crippled several long-range bombers and rewrote the rules for drone warfare.
BBC News
16-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Newshour Israel says it has full control of Tehran's skies
Israel says eight people have been killed in a third night of Iranian bombardment of Israeli cities, bringing the total to 24. Nearly 300 people are being treated in hospital. Iran meanwhile, has accused Israel of targeting a hospital in western Iran, condemning it as a war crime. Iran's health ministry says at least 224 people have been killed since the Israeli attacks started on Friday. We ask: what is Israel trying to achieve? Also in the programme: Britain's foreign intelligence service is getting a new boss - the first woman to run the agency in its 116 year history; and we have a report from India, where families are still waiting for news after the Air India crash in Ahmedabad last week. (Photo: Smoke rises, after what Iran says was an Israeli attack on Sharan Oil depot in Tehran, Iran, June 16, 2025. Credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA West Asia News Agency via Reuters)
