2012 Cyprus terrorist plot

none 2012 Cyprus terror plot Limassol and Larnaka, Cyprus Terrorism Israeli interests in Cyprus Suspect arrested before committing the attack 1 1 Hossam Yaakoub (Hezbollah) Yes Guilty 4 years in prison On July 7, 2012, local authorities arrested Lebanese-born Swedish citizen Hossam Yaakoub in Limassol, Cyprus. Yaakoub admitted to being a member of the Shi'a Islamic militant group Hezbollah, who had been tasked with surveilling the activities of Israeli tourists on the island. Israel condemned the incident as an attempted terrorist attack. Background In the months preceding the disruption of the terrorist plot in Cyprus, Hezbollah and Iran were implicated in terrorist attacks and plots against Israeli targets in Thailand, India, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Kenya.As Cyprus bombing attempt shows, war with Iran can start anywhere https://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/as-cyprus-bombing-attempt-shows-war-with-iran-can-start-anywhere-1.451298 https://web.archive.org/web/20120716020626/http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/as-cyprus-bombing-attempt-shows-war-with-iran-can-start-anywhere-1.451298 dead July 16, 2012 Haaretz 16 July 2012 On July 18, eleven days after Yaakoub was arrested, five Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian citizen were killed in a suicide bombing in Burgas, Bulgaria. The Bulgarian government implicated Hezbollah in the attack.Elaborate surveillance operation raises concerns about broader Hezbollah attacks https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/elaborate-surveillance-operation-raises-concerns-about-broader-hezbollah-attacks/2013/02/26/683da8d6-7d10-11e2-a044-676856536b40_story.html The Washington Post 26 February 2013 Arrest On July 7, 2012, Cypriot authorities arrested Hossam Yaakoub, a Lebanese-born Swedish citizen, in the port city of Limassol. After intensive questioning, Yaakoub admitted that he was a member of Hezbollah.Man detained in Cyprus was planning attack on Israeli targets for Hezbollah https://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/man-detained-in-cyprus-was-planning-attack-on-israeli-targets-for-hezbollah-1.451000 https://web.archive.org/web/20120714165542/http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/man-detained-in-cyprus-was-planning-attack-on-israeli-targets-for-hezbollah-1.451000 dead July 14, 2012 Haaretz 14 July 2012 Yaakoub had arrived in Cyprus as a tourist on July 5. Prior to his arrest, he was tracking the movement of Israeli tourists on the island. On July 6, he surveilled the arrival of Israeli tourists on an Arkia Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Larnaca International Airport. Hezbollah had tasked Yaakoub with monitoring charter flights from Israel to Cyprus since late 2011. He recorded flight information and wrote down the registration numbers of shuttle buses the passengers boarded. In between flights, he carried out surveillance of the resort hotels that Israelis frequented. His surveillance data noted the security presence at the hotels and their proximity to local emergency services. He also photographed hotel entrances and parking lots. In a sworn deposition, Yaakoub told police, "I was just collecting information about the Jews. This is what my organization is doing, everywhere in the world." Information provided by Israeli intelligence to Cyprus that Yaakoub intended to carry out attacks led to his arrest. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the incident as an "attempted terrorist attack by Hezbollah against an Israeli target... conducted under Iran's auspices."Israel PM accuses Hezbollah of Cyprus attack plot https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-cyprus-hezbollah-idUSBRE86E0BS20120715 Reuters 15 July 2012 Trial On March 21, 2013, a three-judge panel in Cyprus convicted Yaakoub on five of eight charges, "including participation in a criminal organization, planning to commit a crime and money laundering."Cyprus convicts Hezbollah operative https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/cyprus-convicts-hezbollah-operative/2013/03/21/76f31846-9266-11e2-9173-7f87cda73b49_print.html The Washington Post 21 March 2013 On March 28, the court sentenced Yaakoub to four years in prison. During the sentencing, the judges stated, "There is no doubt these are serious crimes which could have potentially endangered Israeli citizens and targets in the republic."Cyprus jails Hezbollah man for plot to kill Israelis https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Cyprus-jails-Hezbollah-man-for-plotting-to-kill-Israelis-308000 The Jerusalem Post 28 March 2013 The conviction of Yaakoub, in tandem with the Bulgarian government's declaration that Hezbollah was behind the July 2012 Burgas bus bombing, has increased the pressure on the European Union to designate Hezbollah a terrorist organization. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that the conviction of the Hezbollah operative in Cyprus "underscores the need for our European allies — and other governments around the world — to crack down on this deadly group." See also 1992 attack on Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires 2012 attacks on Israeli diplomats 2012 Burgas bus bombing 2022 Istanbul terror plot References Category:2012 in international relations Category:2012 crimes in Cyprus Category:July 2012 crimes in Asia Category:July 2012 in Europe Category:Terrorist incidents in Asia in 2012 Category:Terrorist incidents in Europe in 2012 Category:Terrorist incidents in Cyprus Category:Islamic terrorism in Europe Category:Terrorism in Cyprus Category:Islamic terrorist incidents in 2012 Category:Cyprus–Iran relations Category:Cyprus–Israel relations Category:Iran–Israel proxy conflict Category:Hezbollah attacks Category:Failed terrorist attempts in Asia Category:Failed terrorist attempts in Europe Category:Trials in Asia Category:Trials in Europe Category:2010s trials Category:Attacks on tourists in Asia Category:Attacks on tourists in Europe Category:Anti-Israeli sentiment in Europe