A Danish man suspected of collecting intelligence on Jewish sites and individuals in Berlin on behalf of Iranian security services has been arrested in Denmark, German federal prosecutors announced Tuesday. Identified only as Ali S. under German privacy laws, the suspect was detained this past Thursday in the Danish city of Aarhus. Prosecutors said he was tasked by an Iranian intelligence agency earlier this year to gather information on “Jewish localities and specific Jewish individuals” in the German capital. According to authorities, Ali S. conducted surveillance of three properties in Berlin in June, “presumably in preparation of further intelligence activities in Germany, possibly including terrorist attacks on Jewish targets.” “If this suspicion is confirmed, we are dealing with an outrageous operation,” said German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig in a statement. “The protection of Jewish life has the highest priority for the German government.” Security measures at Jewish and Israeli facilities across Germany were already heightened following the 12-day war between Israel and Iran. Prosecutors said German domestic intelligence provided the information that led to the suspect’s arrest. Ali S. faces accusations of working for a foreign intelligence service. He will be extradited to Germany, where a judge will determine whether he should remain in custody while awaiting formal charges. The timing of the extradition was not immediately clear. Germany, a close ally of Israel, has a complex relationship with Iran. Berlin has long supported diplomatic engagement with Tehran over its nuclear program but has also confronted the regime over human rights abuses. In October, Germany ordered the closure of all three Iranian consulates in the country after the Iranian judiciary announced the execution of Jamshid Sharmahd, a German-Iranian dual national kidnapped in Dubai in 2020. That left only Iran’s embassy operating in Berlin. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)