Info:
Iranian intelligence operative, known as Rambod Namdar, made contact with Israeli citizens, several of whom were indicted on January 12, 2022;
The investigation was carried out by the Shin Bet and Israel Police after it was suspected that a number of Israeli citizens were in contact with an Iranian intelligence agent known as Rambud Namdar, and had been recruited by him to carry out missions within the country.
The suspects, four women and one man from central Israel, met Namdar, who said on Facebook that he was a Jew living in Iran. According to the agency, Rambud requested from all suspects that instead of being in contact on Facebook, they would talk on WhatsApp, where he also video chatted;
Nambdar never showed his face to the women, claiming the camera on his phone was broken. While some of the women suspected he was an Iranian intelligence officer, they continued to speak with him and agreed to carry out requests he made in exchange for money, the agency said;
One of the suspects, along with her husband, had been in contact with Nambdar for several years. The 40-year-old resident of Holon suspected that he was acting on behalf of Iranian authorities as an intelligence agent. Nevertheless, she took secret pictures of the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, pictures inside the Interior and Social Welfare ministry buildings in the city and also gave him information on security arrangements and pictures of a mall in Holon;
Another suspect, a 57-year-old resident of Beit Shemesh, was in contact with Nambdar for more than four years. She carried out various requests, including telling her son to serve in the Intelligence Corps and to pass along military documents belonging to her son as well as photos and videos from her son’s enlistment ceremony;
She was also asked to establish a club for Iranians in Beit Shemesh and transfer all the details of who was active in the branch as well as photos and videos of club activity; take pictures of the ballot box during the elections of the 23rd Knesset; photograph the American Embassy in Jerusalem, something she failed to do because of local security guards; and approach a Knesset member and pass on information about the relationship between them. She was also asked to perform additional tasks such as buying a computer and cellphone;
She received a total of $5,000 for the various tasks she carried out for Nambdar;
A 47-year-old resident of Kfar Saba was also arrested on suspicion of having transferred money from Nambdar on two different occasions. The funds were received through a relative who came from Iran to visit Israel, as well as during a meeting with one of Nambdar’s emissaries in Turkey;
Involved In:
Nuclear Weapon Program
Missile Weapon Program
Country:
Israel
Reason for the color:
» Shin Bet announces arrest of 5 Israelis enlisted to spy for Iran;