Israeli police have arrested a man suspected of being recruited by Iranian intelligence to orchestrate the assassinations of senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to a joint statement by the Israeli police and the Shin Bet domestic security service, the suspect, identified as 71-year-old Mordechai Maman from Ashkelon, allegedly crossed into Iran twice and received payments for tasks related to the plot.
Maman was reportedly instructed to target Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar. He had been in custody since August 29, 2024. The statement described Maman as a businessman who had lived in Turkey and maintained connections with Turkish and Iranian contacts. He was introduced to an Iranian businessman named "Eddie" and later met with an Iranian security agent named "Hajjah."
During his trips to Iran in May and August 2024, Maman was tasked with carrying out security-related missions, such as transferring money or weapons, photographing crowded places, and threatening other Israelis working for Iranian intelligence. He was also allegedly asked to promote assassination attempts as part of a revenge plot for the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July 2024—a killing that Iran and Hamas attribute to Israel.
The suspect reportedly requested a $1 million advance but was given 5,000 euros after his meetings with Iranian agents. In addition to the assassination plot, he was asked to recruit Israeli Mossad agents as double agents. Maman has been cooperating with authorities, with his lawyer admitting he made an "error of judgment." Maman himself reportedly acknowledged the gravity of his situation, saying, "It’s good that you arrested me, I don’t know where it could have gone."
A senior Shin Bet official described the case as an example of Iran’s persistent efforts to recruit Israeli citizens for terrorist activities.
Post a Comment