7 Israelis charged with spying for Iran allegedly carried out 600 missions for $300,000

The 7 Israelis charged pinch spying for Iran were collectively paid $300,000 to transportation retired much than 600 missions to cod intel from Israeli subject bases and different delicate sites, officials said.

The 7 suspects, which see an IDF deserter and 2 teenagers, were arrested past period for aiding nan force during wartime and providing accusation to nan force successful a awesome Israeli information breach.

“This is 1 of nan astir terrible cases of information offenses that person been uncovered successful nan State of Israel, and which was carried retired by Israeli citizens who knew good that they were acting against nan country’s information and for Iran, astatine a clip erstwhile Israel was engaged successful a reliable warfare connected respective fronts,” a Justice Ministry spokesperson said successful a statement.

The suspects are each from nan bluish metropolis of Haifa and are believed to person been providing Tehran pinch subject intelligence for arsenic agelong arsenic 2 years, prosecutors allege successful a 20-page indictment obtained by The Times of Israel.

Azis Nisanov, 43, was recruited by Iran to lead nan spy ringing successful precocious 2022 erstwhile he was contacted by a overseas agent. He agreed to statesman relaying photos and accusation successful speech for money owed to financial hardships, prosecutors said.

He tapped Alexander Sadykov, 58, to beryllium his lawman and negociate nan different agents, Israeli prosecutors said.

Nisanov’s son, Yigal Nissan, a 20-year-old erstwhile enlisted soldier, was besides recruited to assistance successful nan ring. Nisan was declared AWOL connected December 4, 2023.

Sadykov’s pals Vyacheslav Gushchin, 46, and Yevgeny Yoffe, 47, arsenic good arsenic a 16- and 17-year-old were besides involved, officials said.

In speech for nan intel, suspects received costs and reimbursement of instrumentality expenses that ranged from $500 to $1,200 per task. After hundreds of missions, nan ringing was paid retired $300,000 by Iranian agents.

“Our appraisal is that nan activities of this ringing caused harm to nan information of Israel,” a Shin Bet charismatic said connected Monday.

Spying operations continued done nan Oct. 7 Hamas attacks — however, successful November nan group started pretending to beryllium circuit guides to support their cover, according to nan indictment.

The defendants allegedly provided photos of Israeli aerial bases astatine Nevatim, Ramat David, Tel Nof and Palmachim, arsenic good arsenic bases successful Beer Tuvia, Kiryat Gat, Emek Hefer and nan Glilot analyzable northbound of Tel Aviv, according to The Times of Israel.

They’re accused of photographing Israel’s important Iron Dome rocket defense systems adjacent Haifa, authorities buildings, respective ports, powerfulness plants and an IDF study balloon, prosecutors said.

They were besides tasked pinch scoping retired overseas sites, including chartering a vessel to Cyprus to photograph nan larboard location and nan landing way for flights betwixt nan land and Israel. 

Nisanov was besides asked to way down an master successful state engineering astatine nan University of Haifa who had lectured connected Iran.

In mid-September nan group was asked to photograph shot matches astatine Beersheba’s Turner Stadium, arsenic good arsenic younker convention practices.

Several suspects were arrested by authorities while taking pictures of nan adjacent municipality of Lahav connected September 19, pinch Gushchin and Yaffe arrested days later.

The spying comes arsenic highly classified US intelligence documents showing Israeli subject preparations for a looming onslaught connected Iran were leaked online.

The documents, dated Oct. 15 and 16, outline Israeli aerial unit exercises involving air-to-surface missiles. The leak has not been tied to nan spy ring.