Ex-minister charged with spying for Iran

Former minister Gonen Segev was extradited to Israel from Guinea and charged with spying for Iran last month, the Shin Bet security service reveals.

The disgraced former politician, who was a member of the Tzomet and Yiud parties, has been living abroad since being released from prison after he was found guilty of drug smuggling in 2006.

According to the Shin Bet, Segev has knowingly been in contact with Iranian intelligence officials since 2012, meeting them in Nigeria and in Iran.

“Segev gave his operators information about [Israel’s] energy sector, about security locations in Israel and about buildings and officials in diplomatic and security bodies, and more,” the Shin Bet says.

In mid-May, Segev traveled from Nigeria to Equatorial Guinea where he was arrested by local police and sent back to Israel, the Shin Bet says.

Last Friday, he was indicted in a Jerusalem court on charges of spying for the enemy in war-time and a number of other related crimes.

Following his indictment, the court partially removed its gag order on the case, allowing some details to published.

— Judah Ari Gross

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