Lebanon claims to expose 5-strong Israeli spy cell
Officials say group including Lebanese, Nepalese nationals and Palestinian refugee sent intel to Israeli embassies, tried to recruit members
Itamar Sharon is a news editor at The Times of Israel
Lebanese security officials said Wednesday they had apprehended an Israeli spy cell operating in the country.
The cell was comprised of five people, according to an official announcement by the country’s General Security Directorate. Two were Lebanese, one was a Palestinian refugee and two more were Nepalese women, it said.
Lebanese officials claimed the five had confessed to the accusations, and had confirmed providing information to Israeli officials in phone calls to embassies in Turkey, Jordan, Nepal and the UK.
Officials also claimed the Nepalese women had also been involved in recruiting Nepalese domestic care workers in Lebanon to join the spy ring.
Authorities said the five are now awaiting trial for “collaboration with the Israeli enemy,” and added that they were searching for more people believed to have been involved in the operation.
Israel does not, as a rule, comment on such claims.
Lebanon has claimed to uncover Israeli spying efforts in the past.
In September 2016 the Lebanese army said a patrol force had discovered an Israeli spying device in its territory. It claimed Israel then removed the apparatus before a second force could arrive to examine it.
In November 2015 government officials said they had arrested three members of an Israeli spy network, who were gathering information on individuals and security targets.
