Former PM Naftali Bennett, April 10, 2022. (Ohad Zwigenberg/POOL)
Police nab man from central Israel who surveilled the home of former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett while working for Iranian intelligence agency.
By World Israel News Staff
An Israeli man was arrested recently after he allegedly conducted espionage missions on behalf of Iran, including spying on a former Israeli prime minister who is poised to run for the premiership next year.
On Thursday morning, the Israel Police and the Shin Bet security agency issued a joint statement announcing that earlier this month they had arrested Vadim Kupriyanov, an Israeli citizen in his 40s from the city of Rishon Lezion in central Israel.
According to the statement, Kupriyanov was arrested on suspicion of committing security offenses under the direction of Iranian intelligence elements.
Kupriyanov was arrested after he was spotted conducting surveillance, including taking photographs, outside the home of former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
As part of his contacts with Iranian operatives, he was instructed to purchase a car camera in order to monitor Bennett’s residence.
After Kupriyanov was arrested, the Shin Bet and the police department’s Lahav 433 National Crime Unit launched an investigation into his ties to Iranian intelligence.
During the probe, investigators revealed that over the past two months Kupriyanov had been asked to carry out a range of security-related missions.
Among other things, at the request of his handlers, Kupriyanov had taken photographs of various locations in Israel and transferred them to Iranian agents in exchange for various sums of money.
Police and the Shin Bet announced that their investigation into Kupriaynov’s spying has been completed, with an indictment slated to be filed against Kupriyanov at the Lod District Court by the Central District Attorney’s Office later on Thursday.
“The Israel Police and the Shin Bet reiterate their warning to citizens and residents of the State of Israel against maintaining contact with foreign elements from enemy states, and all the more so against carrying out missions for them,” the joint statement read.
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