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Israeli police arrest Israelis for spying and working for Iran – Israel News

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Israeli police arrest Israelis for spying and working for Iran – Israel News

Two Israelis arrested on suspicion of espionage were “caught red-handed,” Israel Police Chief Inspector Yossi Elkarif reported on Thursday.

“They were fulfilling an assignment given to them by their Iranian handler – a photography assignment,” he said, adding that they were arrested at a hotel in the Tel Aviv area.

Elkarif, an investigation commander in the Israel Police Yachbal Unit, part of National Crime Unit 433, described the joint work of the Israel Police and Shin Bet (Israeli Security Service) and said intelligence information and evidence were being shared between the organizations.

Asked about the recent arrests and indictments of around two dozen people suspected of spying for Iran, Elkarif said it is important to note that these are the culmination of lengthy trials.

It is important to “understand that we have been at war for a year and a month,” he said.

A graphic image of an Israeli police officer. (Source: ISRAEL POLICE)

“We are aware of the media and the fact that it appears to the public as if we are arresting wave after wave (of spy suspects), but it is important to understand that work behind the scenes is taking place over a longer period of time ” he said.

While police look at each case individually, there are connections between some, he said.

“Several of the recent cases that have become public involve an Iranian perpetrator known to (the security forces) from other cases.”

These cases are also similar over the course of the missions, he explained.

A pattern that repeats itself

“There is a certain pattern of actions that repeats itself – missions are initially very general and easy to carry out, but in later phases they escalate.”

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In later phases, he cited the following examples of people or taking photos of sensitive places.

Elaborating on the motivations of the espionage suspects, Elkarif said: “In some cases the motivation was financial, in some cases it was disappointment with the state for various reasons.”

Elkarif emphasized that there is no clear indicator or pattern of who might commit acts of espionage for an enemy state.

They can be “the nicest people we thought of as our neighbors, and they can also be people we never thought would fit that type.”

The suspects are of all genders, ages and ethnicities, he said.

In addition, there are certain restrictions imposed on Iranian intelligence officials that could lead them to target specific individuals, he said. Iran is limited by language and geography, among other things, he said.

Elkarif explained that some contacts were made by contactees online and that “Israeli citizens must be very vigilant against attempts by hostile states to contact them (in an attempt to get them to carry out various actions.”

This type of contact should be reported to the Israeli authorities.

Elkarif expressed that he finds comfort in knowing the work the Israeli security authorities are doing in the fight against espionage.

“At this point, we know we are thwarting many (plans) and preventing threats from coming true.”

In recent months, the unit has been “working around the clock on many incidents (related to espionage).”

“Ultimately, as a citizen of the State of Israel, I can trust the various security organizations, including law enforcement.”



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