Khaberni - The Israeli Public Prosecution presented today, Thursday, an indictment against a 21-year-old young man from the city of Beer Sheva, who was arrested in October last year, on suspicion of carrying out espionage tasks for Iranian intelligence entities.
Informed sources reported that Israeli security agencies conducted over the past two months more than 30 actions in files related to attempts to recruit agents for Iran, including investigations, warnings, and arrests.
According to the same sources, since the outbreak of the genocide war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, more than 30 espionage cases linked to Iran have been revealed, with indictments being issued against 50 Israelis.
According to a joint statement issued today by the police and the Shin Bet, the detainee had been recruited in recent weeks to liaise with Iranian intelligence elements and carried out a group of field tasks inside Israel on their behalf.
The statement said that the joint investigation revealed that the young man "was aware that he was acting under Iranian direction," and that the tasks he was entrusted with "involve the possibility of harming state security."
The suspect sent various pictures from the city of Beer Sheva to his Iranian handlers and buried a mobile phone and a cigarette box at specific sites upon their request, as well as collected a SIM card from a "hidden point" he was directed to retrieve.
According to the investigations, the suspect was instructed to reach a location where a gun was presumably hidden and verify its place, then transfer it to another location, which he indeed did after moving the object that appeared to be a weapon.
The statement noted that the suspect received "large sums of money through digital means" in return for these tasks. It added that the prosecution today presented a serious indictment against him in front of the Central Court in Beer Sheva. The indictment includes the suspect's links with a hostile entity and carrying out tasks that affect state security.
The statement emphasized that this case "joins a series of recent cases," referring to "repeated attempts by hostile terrorist entities to recruit Israeli citizens to carry out tasks aimed at harming state security and its residents."
The occupation police and the Shin Bet concluded their joint statement by warning citizens against "any communication with unknown foreign entities," considering that carrying out tasks on their behalf constitutes "a serious crime that affects state security."
