Israeli Jew Recruited By Iranian Intelligence To Assassinate Netanyahu
In recent years there have been multiple examples of Israeli intelligence operations on Israeli soil, either for assassinations or nuclear sabotage actions, but much more rare is to hear about Iranian intelligence operations conducted inside Israel.
But Israeli security officials announced this week they have disrupted a covert Tehran-sponsored plot to assassinate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with other high-ranking officials. Even more bizarre is that an Israeli citizen was the alleged spy and organizer of the assassination plans on behalf of Iran.
Israeli police identified 73-year-old Moti Maman from Ashkelon as being an Iranian intelligence asset. He reportedly expressed willingness to conduct an assassination campaign inside Israel at the behest of his Iranian handlers.
"An Israeli citizen smuggled himself into Iran on two different occasions to meet with Iranian intelligence agents," an Israeli police spokesman said.
"He expressed a willingness to commit serious acts of terrorism on Israeli soil, including plotting the assassination of high-level officials," the statement continued. "The suspect, who has since been apprehended, sought large sums of money in exchange for providing intelligence and additional support to Iranian intelligence officials."
The suspect, who is an Israeli Jew, was allegedly to receive one million dollars in total from Iranian intelligence if the assassinations were carried out. He had reportedly already received €5,000.
While in custody Maman is said to be cooperating with authorities. As yet, the extent of the plot or whether it was actually close to being initiated is still unknown and being investigated.
Israeli investigators said he was posing as a businessman upon his being twice smuggled into Iran from Turkey.
"While Israel is at war on several fronts, an Israeli citizen travels on two different occasions to an enemy state, meets with Iranian intelligence agents and expresses willingness to commit serious acts of terrorism on Israeli soil," the Shin Bet said further.
According to more cited in FT:
The businessman was told that the Iranian contact, called “Eddie” in the statement, was unable to travel to Turkey. In May the Israeli was taken across the border near the Turkish town of Van to meet Eddie and a second man who identified himself as an “Iranian security operative”, the statement said.
“During this meeting, Eddie offered the Israeli to carry out various security missions within Israel for the Iranian regime, including: transferring money or a gun at predetermined points, photographing various crowded places in the country and sending them to Iranian elements, threatening other Israeli citizens activated in the country by the Iranian regime who did not complete requested tasks,” the statement said.
Shin Bet additionally warned of ongoing efforts to "recruit operatives in Israel for intelligence gathering and carrying out... missions in Israel." Currently a hot war is growing in southern Lebanon, where the IDF and Iran-backed Hezbollah are engaged in the biggest exchange of fire since Oct.7.