Israeli authorities have arrested an American-Israeli twin citizen on suspicion of spying for Iran, accusing him of sharing info on public figures and sending movies and photos of places throughout the nation to his handlers.
Yaakov Perl, 49, was arrested earlier this month after an investigation by the Shin Bet security agency and the National Crime Unit of the Israeli police.
Perl had lived in Morocco in current years, authorities mentioned, and he first contacted the Iranian embassy there by telephone in 2017.
Police and the Shin Bet mentioned in a joint assertion Perl requested asylum for himself and his household however acquired no response. In 2023, he started participating with Iranian information retailers on social media and publishing content material essential of Israel and Zionism.
In January, Perl wrote an article that authorities say supported Hezbollah following Israel’s killing of the group’s chief, Hassan Nasrallah.
After the article’s publication, he was approached by Iranian operatives, with whom authorities say he agreed to cooperate. When Perl was unable to recruit folks in Israel to work with him, authorities say he traveled to Israel himself in July and commenced gathering intelligence on the course of his Iranian handlers.
“He provided the Iranians with information on Israeli public figures and citizens, including former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir,” police and the Shin Bet mentioned. “As part of his activities, Perl also took photos and videos of various streets and locations throughout Israel. He was paid in cryptocurrency for his work.”
The assertion mentioned that Perl’s actions have been “all based on ideological motives and opposition to Zionism.”
Since October seventh, Israeli police have been concerned in investigating greater than 25 instances associated to espionage exercise linked to Iran, ensuing in roughly 46 arrests, in line with a police spokesman.