A Lebanese man has gone on trial in Celle, northern Germany, accused of being a member of Hezbollah - a Shia Muslim group whose military wing is proscribed as a terrorist organization by the EU.
The 35-year-old man, identified only as Fadel Z due to German privacy laws, faces charges for allegedly playing a significant role in procuring products for Hezbollah's drone programme.
The German Federal Prosecutor's Office reported that Fadel Z joined Hezbollah over a decade ago, initially working in public relations before becoming a foreign operator for the drone program in 2022, first from Barcelona, Spain, and later moving his operations to Germany.
According to prosecutors, Hezbollah has been developing an extensive drone initiative, particularly after Hamas's attacks on Israel in October 2023, when Hezbollah systematically fired rockets and explosive-laden drones at military and civilian targets.
Figure prosecutors, from June 2024, Hezbollah had amassed over 10,000 drone units, with Fadel Z accused of procuring materials for constructing these drones worth approximately €1.4 million (£1.2 million) before his arrest in July 2024.
The procurement involved purchasing over 2,000 petrol and electric motors and more than 600 propellers from companies in Europe, China, and the US, often through front companies registered in his name. These goods were transported to Lebanon via container ships from ports in Hamburg or Spain and through air freight.
Notably, two engines purchased by Fadel Z were used in explosive drones, one of which targeted a retirement home in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, on Yom Kippur in October 2024. Although the explosive detonated inside the building, no injuries occurred among the 200 residents, leading to charges of aiding and abetting attempted murder against Fadel Z.
The trial is anticipated to continue until August next year, unraveling the complexities of Hezbollah's military capabilities and its impact on regional stability.
Following the initiation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, the conflict escalated significantly, resulting in considerable civilian casualties and displacement in Lebanon, as well as Israeli military losses.
