Bat Yam man to be charged with working for Iranian intelligence
Police, Shin Bet say suspect in his 30s had been in contact with Iranian agent for five months before his arrest in May; indictment expected in coming days
Prosecutors are planning to charge a man from Bat Yam with serious security offenses after he allegedly carried out tasks for Iranian intelligence agents, the Shin Bet and police announced Monday.
A prosecutor’s declaration was filed against the suspect, the agencies said in a statement released amid renewed hostilities with Iran. An indictment is expected in the coming days.
Investigators believe the suspect, a man in his 30s, maintained online contact with an Iranian agent for five months, from the start of the year until his arrest in May. He allegedly agreed to carry out security-related tasks at the agent’s behest in exchange for money.
The agencies did not elaborate on the nature of the offenses.
The investigation into the alleged offenses was conducted jointly by the Shin Bet and police in the Ayalon Precinct crime-fighting unit.
“The Israel Police and the Shin Bet once again warn the citizens and residents of the State of Israel against maintaining contact with foreign actors or carrying out tasks on their behalf. Such actions constitute serious criminal offenses and pose a direct threat to national security,” the agencies said.
The man is the latest Israeli to face security charges for allegedly maintaining contact with an Iran-linked agent, part of Tehran’s efforts to recruit ordinary citizens through social media as spies, promising them financial compensation.
Iranian agents usually start out their recruits with relatively mundane tasks such as vandalism or the filming of public locations, which then escalate into more severe, sometimes even violent offenses.
Authorities have ferreted out scores of such cases in recent years.
The Times of Israel Community.