Crime syndicates in Europe were planning terror attacks against Jews and Israeli embassies around the world, at the service of Iran, Israeli officials revealed on Thursday after a vast terrorism infrastructure was uncovered on the continent.
Israeli missions and Jewish communities around the globe and especially in Europe, were put on high alert, based on the presumption that terror squads would attempt to launch attacks, including during the Paris Olympics which are less than two months away.
Officials in the Mossad and Shin Bet said the revelations of attacks directed by Iran, which were intended to cause the death of innocent people, were uncovered after a prolonged effort of European security and intelligence agencies along with the Israeli security services.
"The infrastructures were run by serious crime syndicates operating in Europe, whose leaders are receiving their directions from Iran," Mossad and Shin Bet said. "We are observing increased attempts by Iran and its proxies to attack targets affiliated with Israel, indicating a step up in the Iranian effort."
A break in the investigations came when two hand grenades were hurled at the Israeli Embassy in Belgium, last weekend. Officials in the Mossad said the attempted attack, which resulted in no injuries or damage, and the evidence collected at the scene, were reminiscent of the attack in January on the Israeli embassy in Sweden, after which an international effort of European security and intelligence agencies was launched.
The investigation raised the suspicion that the Swedish Foxtrot crime syndicate was involved and that it had been working on behalf of Iran.
Foxtrot is considered the largest criminal organization in Sweden with its members operating in other European countries as well. They are responsible for murders, and drug trafficking. Foxtrot's leader is Rawa Majid, a Swedish national of Kurdish origins who is wanted by Interpol.
Dubbed "The Kurdish fox," he was, according to the investigation, recruited by Iranian terror groups after escaping to Iran from Turkey. He has been able to evade arrest by international law enforcement agencies including the Iraqi security forces.
"Enlisting criminal syndicates to carry out terror attacks, is a known mode of operation of the Iranians, who could then distance themselves from terror attacks resulting in harm to innocent civilians," the Mossad said.
"Majid was arrested by local Iranian security and was recruited to work for Iranian terror groups in exchange for avoiding a long prison sentence in an Iranian jail. He has been coordinating attempts to launch terror attacks in Europe remotely using his crime organization's infrastructure as well as the services of other criminal groups," the agency said adding that the Mossad is actively involved together with partners around the world, to thwart his attempts as well as dozens of other initiatives to launch terror attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets, directed and funded by Iran.
Swedish security service SAPO said on Thursday that it had seen the Iranian regime using criminal networks within Sweden to carry out violent acts against other states, groups, and individuals.
Primarily, these activities have targeted dissident groups and individuals from the Iranian diaspora but have also extended to representatives of other nations such as Israel, SAPO said in a statement.
"Such activities could be carried out with a view to harming Israeli and Jewish interests, targets, and activities in Sweden," it added.