They stormed into our lives a few months ago and, like mushrooms after the rain, spies of all ages from all sectors of society have been popping up the length and breadth of the country. Collaborating primarily with Iranian agents, they’ve become weekly Israeli news items.
A judicial system source tells Ynet that, due to the suspected spies’ danger to the public, as soon as the interrogations become public, indictments are filed so as to keep them in judicial custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings. The police then spend months gathering further evidence to build a legal case for sentencing which, for serious espionage offenses, ranges from six to 12 years.
Ynet's examination reveals that the exceedingly high fees charged by lawyers for espionage cases mean defendants from lower socio-economic backgrounds have been unable to obtain lawyers to represent them and their families are still trying to raise money for their defense.
In recent weeks, judges have requested that, for cases that need to move forward, lawyers from the Public Defense should be appointed to represent suspects and defendants. Like Eli Feldstein and the NCO, arrested as part of the classified documents affair, the detainees are currently being held in solitary confinement in harsh conditions, unable to talk to their families.
In recent weeks, judges have requested that, for cases that need to move forward, lawyers from the Public Defense should be appointed to represent suspects and defendants. Like Eli Feldstein and the NCO, arrested as part of the classified documents affair, the detainees are currently being held in solitary confinement in harsh conditions, unable to talk to their families.
Espionage Cells exposed in Israel So Far
An espionage cell uncovered this year in its full glory, included a 72-year-old father of four from Ashkelon named Motti Maman, who had always earned is living by questionable means. The affair publicized September 19 of this year, and a spy like Motti Maman, took entire nation by surprise.
The same day, the State Attorney filed an indictment against Maman at the Beersheva District Court, charging him with offenses against state security by contacting a foreign agent and entering an enemy country without permission.
According to the indictment, Maman communicated, on Iranian soil, with local agents operating on behalf of the Islamic Republic’s intelligence agencies. He entered Iran twice and, in meetings with the Iranian agents, discussed the possibility of carrying out terrorist attacks in Israeli territory, partly amid the Ayatollah’s regimes desire to avenge the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Maman is currently held at Shikma Prison in particularly harsh conditions, “like those of the Nukhba terrorists” according to his lawyer, Eyal Besserglick who, in recent months, has repeatedly appealed to the court to alleviate Maman’s conditions due to his poor health ensuing from his prolonged detainment.
In the second case, revealed on October 14, indictments were filed against Ramat Gan residents Vladislav Victorsson, 30, and his partner, Anna Bernstein, 18. Victorsson communicated with an Iranian official and, at the Iranian’s instruction, carried out various missions such as interring money and burning cars for which he even recruited another person alongside his partner Anna.
According to the interrogation, at the instruction of the Iranian official, and while aware of his identity, Vladislav carried out various missions including spray-painting graffiti, putting up posters, and burying money. Vladislav even agreed to carry out a mission to assassinate an Israeli public figure by throwing a hand grenade at his house, and made efforts to procure weapons including a sniper rifle, pistols and pepper spray grenades.
Victorsson and Bernstein are accused of offenses of contact with a foreign agent, vandalism, arson and conspiracy to cause malicious damage. Victorsson is also charged with committing a terrorist act and conspiracy to commit murder.
The third case, revealed a week later on October 11, involved seven Israelis who had made Aliya from Azerbaijan, including a father and son, suspected of communicating for two years with Islamic Republic officials. The seven suspects photographed army bases that were also targeted in the ballistic missile attack from Iran last month.
Shin Bet and police arrest Israelis suspected of spying for Iran
(Video: Israel Police)
Some of the seven suspects were caught in the act of following an Israeli official they are suspected of planning to kill. Four days following their arrests, an indictment was filed against the seven suspects from Haifa and the north who include a deserted soldier and two teenage boys. The suspects are: Aziz Nisanov, 43, who was the cell leader, his son Yigal Nisan, 20, Alexander Sadykov, 58, Vyacheslav Gushchin, 48, and Yevgeny Yoffe, 47, and two 16- and 17-year-old teenagers whose names cannot be published. The seven are accused of a series of serious national security offenses.
The fourth case, made public October 22, involved the arrest of seven young men aged 19-23 from Beit Zafafa, Jerusalem, on suspicion of carrying out espionage activities for Iran over a several-month period. Their chief mission was to assassinate an Israeli nuclear scientist and an Israeli mayor.
The prime suspect is 23-year-old Rami Alian, who admitted that he knew the operator was Iranian, and that he was proud to have been contacted by the agent. Alian was in contact with a foreign agent and was asked to carry out various missions in Israel. He then recruited further members to the cell. The seven suspects claim to have acted for nationalist reasons, but also received money for their deeds. The day after their arrest, they were indicted under the “aiding the enemy in wartime” clause.
The fifth incident, for which an indictment was filed against Asher Binyamin Wiess from Bnei Brak, on October 11, for following an Israeli nuclear scientist with the intention of assassinating him at the direction of Iranian agents. He is accused of offenses of contact with a foreign agent, conveying information to the enemy and obstruction of justice.
According to the indictment, Wiess, at the instruction of the Iranian agent, used a GoPro camera to photograph the scientist’s car and home. The Iranian agent then sent the picture to a young man from East Jerusalem assigned to the assassination. Wiess was indicted two weeks ago. In the detention extension hearing, Wiess said that he was being held in solitary confinement in substandard conditions and that he was not permitted to talk to his family or conduct his prayers as a religious man.
Wiess’s family haven’t found him private legal representation at this time. As mentioned, lawyers demand vast sums to represent suspects involved in such incidents, that the family cannot afford. The court extended Wiess’s detention by two weeks and instructed appointing a lawyer from the Public Defense.
The sixth incident, also exposed on October 31, involves Rafael, 32, and Lala Guliyev, 29, from Lod, allegedly conducting missions on behalf of the Iranians and recruiting “Israelis in Israel from Caucasus countries.” GSS and police investigations reveal that Guliyev was recruited by Elshan (Elkhan) Agayev (56), an Azerbaijani-born operator working for Iranian intelligence.
The incitement against the Lod couple charges the two with communicating with Iranian agents since 2021 with the purpose of aiding the enemy in a war against Israel and harming state security. According to the indictment, the couple received a cumulative sum of $26,000 and were charged on the day of their arrest.
The seventh incident was publicized on December 6, over a month later. Tahrir Safadi, 21, from Mas'ade on the Golan Heights was charged with serious espionage offenses. His father, Bassem Safadi who connected his son with the spies, was also arrested and questioned.
Software Engineering student Tahrir was, in recent years, involved in gathering intelligence regarding IDF activities, which was then handed over to Hussam as-Salam Tawfiq Zidan, a Damascus-based journalist working with the Iranian state-owned Al-Alam News Network, who has been working in recent years for the Iranian Quds Force’s Palestine Branch, designed to assist Palestinian organizations promote terrorist activity against Israeli citizens.
Artium Zolotrav, 33, from Nof Hagalil was arrested as part of the eighth incident on suspicion of committing security offenses involving contact with Iranian security officials and carrying out security missions in exchange for money. The Nazareth District Court later indicted him for offenses of contact with a foreign agent, arson and vandalism. The security agencies’ investigation reveals that a connection was made as early as this October between Zolotrav and a character known as “Eliad” who suggested Zolotrav carry out graffiti anti-government spray-painting missions so as to change public perception in Israeli civilian life.
During the ninth incident, exposed on December 1, Erdler Israel Amoyal, 23, from Jerusalem was arrested for allegedly communicating with Iranian intelligence officials and conducting security missions in Israel at their instruction, in exchange for money. GSS investigations reveal that Amoyal had been communicating with Iranian intelligence officials over social media. It was further learned that he was communicating with a profile using the handle “Arianna,” who later transferred him to “John,” who became his handler.
The investigation also reveals that, despite Amoyal realizing at the outset of communication that the “John” was an Iranian agent, he agreed, at his direction, to carry out intelligence-gathering missions that included photographing an address and pray-painting graffiti. Amoyal took photographs of a pamphlet reading “Making Peace” at various Jerusalem and Tel Aviv locations. He is expected to be indicted at the Jerusalem District Court.
In the tenth incident, Mohammed Saadi, 19, from Nazareth was indicted on charges of contact with a foreign agent. Saadi was arrested on suspicion of conveying information to Hezbollah officials in wartime. Police and GSS investigations reveal that he had approached Hezbollah several times in recent years and even asked to join its ranks in combat. Saadi also contacted Hezbollah-affiliated Al Manar TV Lebanon, and asked if could provide them with pictures and videos, including during the war. The investigation further reveals that Saada conveyed information regarding the locations of missile landings, aircraft movement, and the location of IDF forces.
The eleventh incident was made public on December 22. Abed Al-Salam, 33, and Taar Asili, 35, were indicted by the State Attorney on charges of contact with a Hezbollah operative and transferring information to a terrorist organization in wartime.
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According to the indictment filed at the Jerusalem District Court, the accused made contact with a woman named Dianna through a WhatsApp group, and shared with her information about Israel, even after they knew she was a Hezbollah operative. The indictment charges the two with offenses of contact with a foreign agent and conveying information to the enemy. Al-Salam was also charged with carrying a firearm without a permit. The State Attorney requested the court extend the detention of the two accused men until the conclusion of legal procedures.
The 12th case that was revealed this week, involved suspicions that Alexander Granovsky, 29, from Petah Tikva, conducted espionage and sabotage for Iran. Authorities allege he burned vehicles, photographed sensitive sites, filmed the home of MK Benny Gantz and sent images to his Iranian handlers.
First published: 19:02, 12.31.24