Golan resident arrested for spying for Syria
Majdal Shams man had served 27 years in prison on terror charges
Lazar Berman is a former breaking news editor at The Times of Israel.
A Golan Heights man was indicted on charges that he spied for the Syrian government, according to information released for publication Friday.
Several suspected accomplices were arrested as well, and were later released to house arrest.
Sidqi al-Maqt, 48, of the Druze town Majdal Shams, was accused of passing photographs and written reports of IDF positions to Syrian intelligence officials, including a government official named Midhat Saleh, the Ynet news site reported.
The indictment said that Maqt praised terrorist organizations on his Facebook page, and called for violence against Jews.
Maqt was arraigned in the Nazareth District Courthouse on counts of espionage, aiding the enemy during wartime, supporting a terrorist organization, and contact with a foreign agent.
While speaking with reporters, Saleh proclaimed, “I want to bless the Syrian nation, and its proud leader Bashar Assad.”
Maqt’s lawyer, Yamin Zidan, denied all charges against his clients, Channel 2 reported.
He previously spent 27 years in jail on terrorism charges, starting in 1985. He was released in 2012.
The Israeli side of the Golan Heights has four Druze towns. Many of the residents feel they are Syrians, and maintain connections with their brethen over the border, who make up about 5 percent of Syria’s pre-war population of 23 million people.
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