Israeli officials have released details about a horrifying assassination plot involving an Israeli businessman and an alleged collaboration with Iranian intelligence.
According to comments from Israeli police and intelligence services, the plot aimed to attack high government leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Moti Maman, a 73-year-old businessman from the coastal city of Ashkelon, is the subject of the charges. According to police, Maman sneaked himself into Iran twice in 2024 via Turkey.
During these trips, he allegedly met with Iranian intelligence operatives to discuss plans to attack multiple important Israeli figures. The targets were Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.
The scheme was thought to be revenge for the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Hanieyh in Tehran, which Iran blamed on Israel.
Maman allegedly sought $1 million from the Iranian operatives to carry out the strikes, but this amount was not given. He did, however, collect over $558,000 in euros for attending these secret meetings.
In addition to the assassination negotiations, Maman apparently considered additional criminal actions, including as serving as a money courier for Iran, presumably to help transport funds to support future operations. There were also ideas of recruiting a Mossad “double agent” and pinpointing Russian and American targets in Europe and the United States as part of Iran’s overall strategy.
The businessman’s contacts allegedly included an Iranian named Eddie and another individual referred to as Hajjah, described as an Iranian intelligence agent. According to the charges, Maman was smuggled across the Turkey-Iran border twice, once hidden inside a truck cabin.
Also Read: Russian Disinformation Peddlers are Targeting Harris Walz Campaign With Fake Videos, Microsoft Says
Maman received an official indictment on September 19, 2024. The Israeli police and Shin Bet have deemed the case a severe national security danger, saying that Iran is still looking for spies within Israel to carry out espionage and terrorist tasks.
Israeli officials voiced fear that Iranian agents would approach people with criminal records to recruit them for these reasons.
As tensions between Israel and Iran remain high, the uncovering of this conspiracy illustrates the two countries’ ongoing efforts to undermine each other through clandestine operations. Israeli security forces are still on high alert, concentrating on avoiding further efforts to undermine the country’s leadership.
