Iran Recruits Israeli Jewish Citizens Suspected Of Killing Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant Or Head Of Shin Bet

Moti Maman. (Twitter/@GLZRadio)

JAKARTA - An Israeli Jewish civilian was arrested last month allegedly recruited by Iran to launch the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister, defense minister, or Shin Bet leader, authorities announced on Thursday.

The Shin Bet and the Israeli Police said in a joint statement that the suspect was smuggled into Iran twice and received payment for carrying out a mission on behalf of Tehran.

The suspect, named Moti Maman (73) from Ashkelon city in the south, was charged on Thursday, reported by The Times of Israel September 19.

According to a Shin Bet and police investigation, Maman is a businessman who has lived in Turkey for a long time, where she has business and social ties with Turkish and Iranian nationals.

In April this year, Maman agreed, through an intermediary between two Turks known by Shin Bet as Andrey Faroukmen and Junayd Badminton to meet a wealthy businessman who lives in Iran named Eddy, to discuss business activities, the security agency said.

Maman traveled to the city of Samandag in Turkey, close to Syria. He met two representatives sent by the Iranian businessman, according to the Shin Bet.

In Samandag, the Israeli suspect and Iranian made a phone call after the Iranian was unable to leave his country.

In May, said Shin Bet, the suspect returned to Turkey to meet with two representatives Andrey, Junayd and Eddy.

After the Iranian businessman appeared unable to leave Iran to meet in Turkey, Maman smuggled himself into Iran by land near Van City in eastern Turkey, the security agency said.

Inside Iran, Maman met Eddy and another person named Khwaja, who introduced himself as a member of Iran's security forces. Maman introduced himself as an Israeli citizen during a meeting at Eddy's house in Iran, according to an investigation.

During the meeting, Eddy suggested to Israeli suspects that they carry out various missions in Israel for the Iranian regime, including putting money or pistols at certain locations, taking photos of crowded public areas, and threatening other Israeli civilians operating on behalf of Iran and not carrying out their missions, according to Shin Bet's findings.

Maman said he would investigate and return to Turkey and then Israel. In August, he returned to Iran for the second time. He was smuggled into the country by land from Turkey while hiding in a truck, according to an investigation.

The security agency said at Eddy's home, Maman met with Iranian intelligence officials, who asked him to "conduct a murder attack" against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, or head of Shin Bet Ronen Bar.

Iranian intelligence officials are also investigating the possible murder of another senior official, including former prime minister Naftali Bennett, according to the investigation.

The Shin Bet said the assassination plot was seen by Iranian officials in revenge for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July, linked to Israel.

According to the investigation, Maman asked for 1 million US dollars in advance before carrying out any tasks.

The next day, Israeli suspects met again with Iranian intelligence officials, where they returned to discuss plans to kill senior Israeli officials, the Shin Bet said.

During the meeting, according to the investigation, it was also recommended that Maman place money in various locations in Israel for other people operated by Iran. Another plan suggested at the meeting was for Maman to look for Russians or Americans and assign them to kill Iranian dissidents in Europe and the US, to recruit Mossad members as double agents.

Also at the meeting, Maman again asked for a down payment of one million dollars, but Iranian intelligence agents rejected his request and said they would contact him in the future, Shin Bet said.

According to the investigation, before leaving Iran for the second time, Maman was given 5,000 euros by one of Iran's intelligence agents for participating in the meeting.

After returning to Israel in August, he was arrested by Israeli authorities.

Maman was quoted by the news Channel 12 as saying to investigators, "It's good that you arrested me, I don't know where it went."

A source familiar with the details of the investigation told the network that during interrogation the suspect did not deny the allegations.

Meanwhile, Maman's lawyer said his client had made a "valuation error" and was fully cooperating with the authorities in the investigation.

"We haven't seen any investigative material yet, so at this stage it's difficult to reveal the details of the case," said his lawyer, Eyal Besserglick.

"It can be said that this is a person who has helped the Israel State security service a lot, whose children are tasked with security forces, and who have made misassessment in its business context," Besserglick said, adding his client had "worked together, and continued to cooperate fully with the authorities."

Separately, a senior Shin Bet official described the case as "a very serious case, an example of Iran's intelligence agency's great efforts to recruit Israeli nationals to advance terror activities in Israel."

The official said the Shin Bet had assessed Iran would continue its efforts to recruit Israeli civilians for spy missions and carry out terror attacks, especially by contacting Israelis with criminal backgrounds.

"When the State of Israel went to war on several battlefields, an Israeli citizen went to enemy countries on two different occasions, met Iranian intelligence agents, and expressed a desire to commit serious terrorist acts on Israeli soil. His actions helped Iran and its intelligence agents in their campaign against Israel," the official said.

The Shin Bet said the suspect's actions "are a serious security breach, even when the motive for contact (with Iranian officials) is criminal or business-related."

"Shin Bet takes every contact by Israelis with Iranian elements seriously. Even though the motive for the contact was initially a business or criminal pretext, it did not reduce the seriousness of the action," the agency added.

Earlier, the Shin Bet in recent months has announced a series of alleged Iranian plans, in which Tehran has attempted to trick Israelis online into carrying out missions to Tehran, including a scheme uncovered in January where Israelis were allegedly recruited to gather intelligence on important figures.