Israel’s Shin Bet Security Agency has charged a 50-year-old citizen with spying on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
According to an indictment by Central District Court, the suspect was in contact with a Lebanese national via Facebook in 2018. The two later met one time each in Denmark and France, at which time the Lebanese man reportedly revealed he was acting on behalf of Iranian intelligence and asked to establish contact with the accused. After returning to Israel, the suspect is believed to have attempted to dispose of evidence that he was in possession of an encoded device to transmit messages to Tehran, which he failed to operate.
In addition, the Israeli suspect is also indicted on having held talks in Budapest two months ago with two individuals who introduced themselves as belonging to Iran’s security apparatus. He is also charged with attempting to make contact with his Iranian handlers last month, even though he apparently failed to do so.
The Shin Bet stressed that “this investigation illustrates once again that Iran and its proxies are working to recruit and exploit Israeli citizens for the sake of Iran’s needs,” while further emphasizing that the “Shin Bet will continue to act with resolve to thwart any activity by Iran and terrorist entities operating on its behalf against Israel’s national security.”