Israeli indicted for espionage in alleged Iran scheme to kill PM, defense minister
Israel Police and Shin Bet suspect that Moti Maman traveled twice to Iran, where he was asked to help carry out a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Gallant or another senior officials.
An Israeli citizen was arrested in August this year and indicted Thursday for allegedly being recruited by Iran to help in a plot to assassinate Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and other Israeli senior officials.
The court authorized Thursday the publication of the identity of the Israeli Jewish suspect: Moti Maman, 73, from the southern city of Ashkelon.
A joint statement issued Thursday by the police and Shin Bet said that the Israeli national — a businessman who lived in Turkey for lengthy periods — was smuggled into Iran twice and received payment from Iran to carry out the missions.
Maman had social contacts with people of Turkish and Iranian origins, according to the statement. It further stated that last April, Maman agreed, through the mediation of two Turkish nationals — Andrey Farouk Aslan and Junayd Aslan — to meet with a rich Iran-based businessman named Eddy, to advance business activity. The statement didn’t provide Eddy’s last name.
