An Israeli soldier has been charged with carrying out espionage activities on behalf of Iran in exchange for cryptocurrency.
In a joint statement released on Thursday, Israel’s domestic spy agency Shin Bet, as well as the regime’s police and military said the soldier had been arrested in September on suspicion of committing “grave security offenses, including maintaining contact with Iranian intelligence operatives and carrying out tasks under their direction.”
They added that military prosecutors filed an indictment charging the soldier with passing information to the enemy and marinating contact with a foreign agent.
During interrogation, they said, it emerged that the soldier had been in contact with Iran-linked agents for about a year and provided them with sensitive information about his unit’s activities, the occupation army’s readiness, and call-ups, including details about his own call-up at the outbreak of the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran earlier this year.
“The investigation also found that the soldier acted with awareness of the identity of his Iranian handler,” and that in exchange for the information he sent them, he received payment in cryptocurrency, the statement read.
The soldier sent the handler details about his comrades and commanders, “knowing that the handler would seek to recruit them for espionage activities,” along with a Telegram group intended for young Israelis preparing to enlist in the regime’s military.
Meanwhile, prosecutors said that the soldier sent the Iran-linked handler information about military bases and their coordinates, and also photographed interceptors, military vehicles and American refueling aircraft parked at an airport in the occupied territories.
They further noted that the soldier was offered $200,000 to travel to Iran.
According to the joint statement, the handler at one point offered to buy the solider a “dumb” phone and a pistol, instructing him to install “malicious communications applications for conducting encrypted conversations”.
The soldier and the handler also agreed to use codes in their conversations, “and construct a cover story” in case the spy was discovered by Israeli forces, it continued.
An Israeli military court extended the Israeli soldier’s detention until November 12, although authorities are seeking to keep him in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings.
Over the past two years, dozens of Israeli settlers, including several soldiers and reservists, have been charged with spying for Iran, prompting the occupying regime to open up a new wing at the notorious Damon prison for those indicted on such espionage charges.
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