HomeWorldIsrael: five adults and two minors detained for spying for Iran

Israel: five adults and two minors detained for spying for Iran

Recruited by the Iranian intelligence services, their mission was to “gather sensitive information” on the military bases and energy infrastructure of the Israel Defense Forces.

An important loot. Israeli police announced on Monday, October 21, that they had arrested seven Israelis on charges of spying for Iran by collecting “sensitive” information about military bases and energy sites.

Five adults and two minors were recruited by Iranian intelligence agents and the information they gathered “caused harm to security,” police said in a statement.

“This network was responsible for collecting sensitive information about Israel Defense Forces (military) bases and energy infrastructure,” he added. The operation was carried out jointly by the police, the army and the national intelligence services (Shin Bet) after two years of investigation.

Is Benjamin Netanyahu the target?

Reports describe those detained as Jewish immigrants from Azerbaijan living in the Haifa area, some with family ties. They should be formally charged on Friday, the Justice Department said in a separate statement, noting that this is “one of the most serious cases in recent years” in terms of espionage.

As The Guardian explains, the dismantling of this network comes after the arrest in September of an Israeli businessman accused of spying for Tehran. He would have visited Iran twice to discuss the possibility of assassinating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the suspects received several thousand dollars in cryptocurrency through Russian intermediaries for their espionage work.

As investigators allege, the network carried out extensive reconnaissance missions at military bases across the country, focusing on air force and naval sites, ports and air defense system bases, Iron Dome missiles and energy infrastructure such as the plant. Hadera power plant in the north.

Three of the suspects were arrested while photographing sensitive sites in southern Israel, The Guardian reports.

“Members of the network were aware that the intelligence they provided compromised national security and could potentially assist enemy missile attacks,” the authorities’ statement said.

The alleged spies also allegedly collected information on Israeli citizens. Some of them were also detained while trying to gather information about an elderly Israeli. According to the authorities, they could have attacked this man whose identity has not been revealed.

Author: Hugo Septier with AFP
Source: BFM TV

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