A 65-year-old resident of the southern Israeli city of Netivot is set to be indicted on Monday in connection with allegations he spied on behalf of Iran.
Edward Yusupov was arrested in February during a joint operation by the Shin Bet, Israel Police Unit of International Crime Investigations and the police Cyber Lahav 433 Unit on suspicion of committing security offenses for a payment of tens of thousands of dollars.
Among other things, Yusupov allegedly carried out surveillance and photography missions at security sites in Israel under the direction of Iranian intelligence officials.
The Shin Bet and police investigation revealed that starting last October, Yusupov had been in contact with an element who identified himself as an Azerbaijan citizen living in Dubai. The suspect carried out numerous missions for him, including surveillance and photography missions related to infrastructure and security sites in Israel, including IDF bases, the Haifa port, and the refineries in Haifa and Israel’s Nuclear Research Center.
Yusupov rented an apartment in Haifa overlooking the Haifa Port at the direction of his Azeri handler for operational needs. He carried out the assignments he received despite suspecting in the early stages that he was being managed by elements from a country hostile to Israel. He was paid via cryptocurrency, using additional means to maintain the secrecy of the connection, the Shin Bet and Israel Police said in a joint statement.
“Based on the findings of the investigation … Yusupov was being managed by Iranian intelligence elements. The Shin Bet and Israel Police once again warn citizens and residents of the State of Israel against having contact with foreign elements from enemy countries and/or an unidentified entity, let alone performing missions for them in exchange for payment or any other reason,” the two agencies said.
Intelligence and terrorist elements from enemy countries are continuing efforts to recruit and manage Israelis to carry out security missions and terrorist and espionage missions in Israel, the Shin Bet and Israel Police warned. The same elements are also continuing their attempts to recruit Israelis through appeals on social media.
“The security bodies in the State of Israel will continue to work to detect and thwart terrorist and espionage activity in Israel, and will work to bring to justice all those involved in this activity with severity,” the two agencies said.
