Greece on Saturday arrested a Palestinian man suspected of being a Hamas operative and planning to carry out a terrorist attack against Israeli targets, police said.

The police statement did not identify the target of the attack, but local media said he was believed planning to attack an Israeli cruise liner.

The 37-year-old was arrested on the island of Crete, where he was working in a hotel, media reports said. Police said in a brief statement the man is also under investigation for traveling abroad to undergo training.

Searches in homes in both Crete and the Greek capital, Athens, turned up a number of mobile phones, a laptop, external hard drives and bank cards.

State TV ERT said police also found laboratory equipment and chemicals that could be used to make a bomb.

The suspect will appear before a magistrate later Sunday.

The Ynet news site reported that the man arrived in Greece from Gaza a year ago and was granted asylum. He was arrested on Crete after 15 days of surveillance by Greek intelligence services in cooperation with........

© The Times of Israel