Report: Ex-bodyguard of Hamas leader gained UK citizenship, then allegedly plotted attack on Jews

A man referred to as 'Mr X,' who reportedly served as a personal bodyguard for former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, was granted asylum in the United Kingdom and later obtained British citizenship, according to multiple reports. He is now reported to have been arrested or investigated for allegedly planning a terrorist attack against Jews in Europe.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the man applied for asylum in 2015 and was granted permanent residency by the British Home Office while Theresa May served as Home Secretary. He was later granted British citizenship, the outlet reported.

GB News reported that the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, worked as protection for Haniyeh before arriving in the UK more than ten years ago. He was given refugee status despite it being publicly known that he had worked for Haniyeh, who had reportedly been apprehended in Egypt for operating an arms and gold smuggling tunnel into Gaza, according to GB News. The outlet also reported that after being granted sanctuary, the man worked as an IT consultant in the suburbs of a large English city.

Several right-leaning outlets, including The Daily Wire, The Telegraph and The Times, reported that the man went on to plot or attempt to plan a terrorist attack targeting Jewish people in Europe, though the exact status of any arrest or prosecution was not detailed consistently across the available reports.