German company 3W linked to Hezbollah drone attacks on Israel

The Lebanese terrorist movement Hezbollah fired a drone equipped with technology from the German company 3W-International at Israel on Sunday, according to video footage of the missile, which landed near Kibbutz Dan.

“Even before Hezbollah's retaliatory strikes against Israel this weekend, 3W was aware that parts of its missiles had landed in drones belonging to Iran's proxy and partner network,” said Jason Brodsky, policy director of the US-based think tank United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), ^ “I died. I … “Houthi drones that were shot down also contained 3W parts. These parts from Europe need better due diligence and better export restrictions. Knowing your customers' customers is absolutely crucial.”

In response to a request for comment from I amKai Weinhold, managing director of 3W Professional GmbH, said the company had “not sold any engines or technology to Iran or Hezbollah,” but: “The engine shown in the pictures looks like an engine manufactured by 3W Professional GmbH. Without knowing the serial number of the engine, I cannot say that with absolute certainty.”

“It is terrible that our engines appear to be being used by terrorist organisations for such acts,” he added. “Unfortunately, we cannot control the resale of our products and cannot protect ourselves from them being resold for terrorist and criminal purposes. Our engines do not pose a threat unless they are used for such terrible things.”

No comment

However, UANI alerted 3W to the engineering firm's allegedly unsavory business practices in 2020. In a letter to Ute Weinhold, the managing director of 3W-Modellmotoren Weinhold GmbH, in February 2020, UANI asked for detailed information about 3W's “sale of products reportedly used by terrorist proxies of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” Weinhold refused to respond at the time.

In view of I am Kai Weinhold did not want to comment on the UANI letter.

UANI wrote at the time: “On February 19, 2020, Conflict Armament Research (CAR) published a report detailing suspected 3W components produced in the manufacture of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by the Iran-backed Houthi forces (also known as Ansar Allah (Followers of God)). The Houthis are a Shiite militarized force in Yemen sponsored by the Iranian regime and known for their virulent anti-Semitic and anti-American rhetoric and attacks on U.S. citizens, including the kidnapping of four Americans in May 2015. On April 14, 2015, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi as a Specially Designated National.”

According to the CAR report, “a significant number of the Houthi drone components either originate from Iran or are equivalent to those used by Iran-linked groups in the region.”

The CAR report states: “The main distinguishing features of the Sammad-type UAV are its shape and its engine. It uses a 3W-110i B2 engine manufactured by 3W-Modellmotoren Weinhold GmbH (3W) in Hanau, Germany. CAR contacted 3W, which stated that the company was unable to confirm the engine's supply chain due to insufficient information.”

“We have been supplying the model aircraft industry with high-quality 2-stroke engines Made in Germany for over 35 years,” says the 3W website.

Made in Germany, used in Iran

German companies and banks continue to do major business with the Iranian regime, including the supply of dual-use technologies that can be used for both military and civilian purposes.

In 2018, Germany was involved in a chemical weapons scandal in which a German company sold technology to businessmen of the Iranian regime.

According to a 2018 study Fox News Digital report: “Construction material from the Krempel Group in the Stuttgart region was found in Iranian missiles used in two chemical weapons attacks on Syrian civilians. 24 people were injured in the poison gas attacks. The Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (Bafa) defended the sales to Iran because the material was not classified as dual-use goods that could be used for military purposes.”

Robert Säverin, spokesman for the German Ministry of Economic Affairs, said I am “The images show wreckage from Hezbollah drones that were deployed from Lebanon against Israel and are said to contain components from a German company. The German government condemns Hezbollah's attack on Israel in the strongest possible terms and takes indications of possible Hezbollah arms deliveries to Israel very seriously.”

Säverin added: “The state criminal police offices are responsible for examining such indications of possible sanctions or export control violations. In order to protect these investigations, no further information can be provided.”

The Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) did not immediately respond to a I am Press inquiry about 3W.

The German state of Baden-Württemberg allows banks and engineering companies to maintain business relations with Iran. The state's Green Prime Minister, Winfried Kretschmann, and the anti-Semitism commissioner Michael Blume show no willingness to stop the country's brisk trade with the Islamic Republic of Iran – which, according to the US government, in the worst case scenario promotes terrorism and anti-Semitism in the world.

I am reported last month on calls for Blume to be fired because he allegedly incited anti-Semitism.

Martin Horn, mayor of the university town of Freiburg in Baden-Württemberg, has resisted the demands, according to a I am Iranian dissidents reportedly called for an end to his city's partnership with the Iranian regime in Isfahan.