In a series of espionage revelations, the Shin Bet security agency and police disclosed on Thursday the arrests of a Lod couple suspected of gathering intelligence on critical infrastructure and security sites, as well as surveilling a prominent national security scholar in an alleged Iranian-directed plot to harm her.
Shortly afterward, authorities also reported that a Bnei Brak resident had been detained on charges of stalking an Israeli nuclear scientist with intent to assassinate on behalf of Iran.
In response to a flurry of recent cases of spying on behalf of Tehran, and following a security assessment led by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, Prison Commissioner Kobi Yaakobi ordered the establishment of a specialized detention wing for Israeli suspects accused of espionage for Iran. The new high-security facility is designed to manage high-risk detainees involved in complex and sensitive national security offenses.
The Tel Aviv District Court indicted Asher Benjamin Weiss of Bnei Brak for allegedly surveilling an Israeli nuclear scientist under orders from Iranian agents, with the intent to facilitate his assassination. Weiss faces charges of contact with a foreign agent, providing intelligence to an enemy and obstruction of justice.
According to the indictment, Weiss recorded the scientist’s home and vehicle using a GoPro camera, which the agent later forwarded to an East Jerusalem resident assigned to carry out the attack.
Weiss also allegedly set vehicles on fire, sprayed graffiti and distributed hundreds of flyers calling for civil unrest.
The East Jerusalem suspect was arrested along with six other suspects after an urgent tip-off to Shin Bet’s elite Tequila rapid intervention unit and charges were filed against them last week.
Earlier on Thursday, the Shin Bet and police announced that authorities have arrested a couple from Lod suspected of conducting espionage activities on behalf of Iran in a separate case.
According to officials, Rafael and Lala Guliyev allegedly carried out intelligence-gathering operations on security and national infrastructure sites, as well as a prominent scholar. Authorities report that the academic was "marked for physical harm."
An indictment was filed Thursday against the couple, both 32 and originally from the Caucasus region, on charges of aiding an enemy in war and relaying information with intent to compromise national security. The prosecution has requested that the couple be remanded to custody throughout the legal proceedings.
Court filings reveal that the couple allegedly began coordinating with two Iranian agents in 2021, gathering intelligence on strategic sites and sending still photographs and video footage via encrypted messaging apps.
Among the sites photographed were the Mossad headquarters, the Moldovan Consulate in Tel Aviv, key points around the Glilot area, Israel’s Electric Corporation, Haifa Port, public shelters in Tel Aviv, graves of victims of the October 7 Hamas attack and a factory where one of the suspects worked. The pair allegedly transmitted this information to their handlers using secure communication to avoid detection.
The indictment also states that Rafael Guliyev was instructed to recruit additional operatives to establish a covert network. Furthermore, he is accused of surveilling a scholar affiliated with the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), a prominent security think tank, whose identity remains undisclosed, photographing her residence and vehicle over hours of observation.
According to Shin Bet and the police, the Iranians intended to inflict harm on the scholar, with Guliyev reportedly receiving $600 daily for these surveillance activities.
Throughout the assignment, Guliyev allegedly maintained contact with his handlers, receiving additional funds periodically. The indictment states that the couple received approximately $26,000 in total for their efforts.
The investigation led by Shin Bet, the National Unit for International Crimes and the police’s cyber unit exposed the alleged Iranian-backed network, which aimed to recruit individuals from the Caucasus community in Israel.
Rafael Guliyev was reportedly recruited by an Israeli citizen of Azerbaijani origin, identified as 56-year-old Elshan Aghayev, who acted as an intermediary for Iranian intelligence. According to Shin Bet, Guliyev was tasked with finding an assassin on behalf of his Iranian handlers.
INSS expressed gratitude to Shin Bet for uncovering the plot, with INSS director Maj. Gen. (res.) Tamir Hayman stating that the center's analysts remain targeted by Iran due to the institute’s role as Israel’s leading security research center. Although INSS operates independently of the defense establishment, Hayman noted the institution’s ongoing communication with security agencies.
Thursday's indictment is the latest in a wave of espionage cases exposed by authorities in recent weeks involving Israeli citizens allegedly working on behalf of Tehran. Police officials reaffirmed their commitment to neutralizing threats to Israeli citizens and pursuing legal measures against those cooperating with hostile entities.
Last week, seven individuals from northern Israel were indicted for allegedly collecting intelligence on military bases for Iranian operatives during the current war. A senior Shin Bet official noted earlier this month that Tehran is systematically attempting to harm prominent figures in Israel, including scientists, municipal leaders and defense officials.
Authorities stressed that stringent punitive measures are critical for deterrence, advocating administrative and economic sanctions, including potential citizenship revocation and asset seizures, for Israeli citizens who collaborate with Iran.
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First published: 10:34, 10.31.24