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 organisation by the EU.
The 35 year-old man, named only as Fadel Z, in line with German privacy laws, is charged with having played a key role in procuring products for Hezbollah's drone programme.
The German Federal Prosecutor's Office said Fadel Z joined Hezbollah more than 10 years ago, first working in public relations.
In a statement, prosecutors said Fadel Z became a foreign operator for the group's drone programme in 2022, first from Barcelona in Spain. In the summer of 2023, he started working from Germany.
According to the statement by prosecutors, Hezbollah has been running an extensive drone programme for some time.
Following Hamas's 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel, prosecutors said Hezbollah had systematically fired rockets and explosive-laden drones at both military and civilian targets in Israel.
By June 2024, it had built up an arsenal of over 10,000 drone units. To procure such drones the organisation employs foreign operatives who covertly purchase components in Europe and export them to Lebanon, prosecutors said.
Fadel Z is accused of purchasing materials and products for drone construction worth around €1.4 million (£1.2 million), until he was arrested in July 2024. The products came from companies in Europe, China and the US.
Prosecutors state that these included more than 2,000 petrol and electric motors, and over 600 propellers. Fadel Z is said to have often used front companies registered in his own name or that of his contacts to place orders, with suppliers being paid via these companies.
The goods were reportedly transported to Lebanon - where Hezbollah is based - either by container ship from ports in Hamburg or Spain or by air freight. Two of the engines purchased by Fadel Z were allegedly used in explosive drones that Hezbollah fired at Israel.
One drone was flown into a retirement home in Herzliya, near Tel Aviv, on the night of 11 October 2024, during Yom Kippur. While the explosive device detonated inside the building, none of the approximately 200 residents were injured.
The Federal Prosecutor's Office characterized this act as aiding and abetting attempted murder.
The trial at the regional court in Celle is expected to last until August next year. Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have escalated since Hezbollah fired rockets on Israeli positions the day after Hamas's attacks, claiming they acted in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Lebanese authorities reported around 4,000 casualties in Lebanon, predominantly civilians, due to Israeli attacks, which also displaced over 1.2 million residents. In Israel, more than 80 soldiers and 47 civilians have been confirmed dead.
