Israel accuses Arab citizen of spying for Iran

Israel has revealed the identity of an Arab citizen accused by Shin Bet of spying for Iran, Safa News Agency reported yesterday.

Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth identified the man as Ayman Haj Yahya, 50, from Taiba in the Triangle.

Details of his identity come two weeks after an indictment was announced against him by the Shin Bet who claimed he had been asked by Iran to carry out attacks against Israeli targets.

The indictment also claimed that he was asked to provide information about Israeli defence and strategic sites, recommend ways to sow discord in Israeli society and locate Arab citizens who may also be interested in working for Iran.

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According to the Times of Israel, the Israeli intelligence claimed that Haj Yahya travelled abroad several times and met with his handler, Khaled Yamani, who was working on behalf of the Iranians.

“During these trips, he received funds, training, encryption tools and codes in order to be able to maintain contact with them in an encrypted way after he returned to Israel,” the Shin Bet claimed.

Israel claims that Yamani is a member of the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and said that his working as a handler for the claimed spy reflects the degree of the strong relationship between both sides.