Israeli man paid thousands of dollars to spy for Iran – police

Alleged Iranian spy arrested in Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon, after he was allegedly paid thousands of dollars by Tehran to carry out various missions on Iran’s behalf.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli man arrested last month on suspicion of acting as an Iranian spy is slated to be indicted today, authorities announced Thursday morning.

Israel Police and the Shin Bet security agency issued a joint statement revealing that last month, as part of an ongoing investigation into Iranian espionage efforts in Israel, a 37-year-old Israeli man was arrested on suspicion of committing security offenses involving contact with Iranian intelligence operatives.

The suspect has been identified as Amir Malka, a resident of the southern coastal city of Ashkelon.

For months prior to his arrest, police and the Shin Bet investigated Malka’s ties to Iranian agents, noting that he had received money transfers sourced back to Iran.

As part of his connection with the Iranian operatives, the suspect received financial compensation amounting to several thousand US dollars in exchange for performing various missions on behalf of Tehran.

Authorities did not specify what operations Malka carried out for his Iranian handlers, saying only that he performed “various tasks” for Iranian intelligence.

With the investigation by the Israel Police and Shin Bet concluded Thursday, the Southern District Prosecutor’s Office is slated to formally file charges against the suspect with the Beersheba District Court later today.

The announcement comes just days after Tzvika Brot, the mayor of the coastal city of Bat Yam, warned that Iranian spy agencies were attempting to recruit residents of his city, and urged anyone who had made contact with Iranian agents to report the interactions to police.

“These entities — including intelligence and terror operatives from enemy states — continue their efforts to recruit and handle Israelis in order to carry out security, terror, and espionage missions in Israel. Such actors also attempt to recruit Israelis through approaches on social media,” the Shin Bet and Israel Police said.