Austria's intelligence service finds weapons cache linked to Hamas

Austria's domestic intelligence service has uncovered a weapons cache in Vienna that is believed to be linked to the Palestinian militant group Hamas for use in "possible terrorist attacks in Europe," the government said on Thursday.

An unidentified 39-year-old British citizen with alleged "close ties to the weapons cache" was arrested in London on Monday, the interior ministry statement said.

"According to the current state of the investigation, Israeli or Jewish institutions in Europe were likely to be the targets of these attacks," it added.

The weapons cache and the suspect were part of an internationally coordinated investigation by the country's Directorate for State Security and Intelligence service (DSN), "into a global terrorist organisation with ties to Hamas."

In the course of the investigations, the ministry said its intelligence service found "suspicion that a group has brought weapons into Austria to use in possible terrorist attacks in Europe."

The weapons cache, which is thought to be part of unspecified foreign operations linked to Hamas, was discovered in a suitcase in a rented storage room in Vienna and contained five handguns and 10 magazines.

"The current case shows once again that the Directorate for State Security and Intelligence has an excellent international network and takes consistent action against all forms of extremism," Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said.

"The mission is clear: zero tolerance for terrorists."

The UK's National Crime Agency confirmed on Thursday that a suspect was arrested in central London by specialist officers from the National Extradition Unit.

He is being held in custody until his next appearance at Westminster Magistrates' Court next Monday.