The Iranian Mehr newspaper reported that Iran’s Foreign Ministry has denied recruiting an agent to infiltrate the Israeli political system; the newspaper quoted ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Assefi as dismissing the reports as baseless.
The Israeli Police and Shin Bet security services arrested the former head of Fassouta village council, in the Galilee, on suspicions that he is spying for Iran.
Jeries Jeries, 57, who headed the village council from May 2001 to November 2003, was arrested on December 12, 2005.
The Israeli security claims that Jeries was recruited by Iran and was asked to use his political contacts to infiltrate Israel’s political system and join an existing party.
Also, the Israeli State Prosecutor’s Office said on Monday that, in contrary to earlier reports, the charges against Jeries have not been watered-down, and that he was not supposed to be indicted, Israeli online daily Haaretz reported.
The Israeli Prosecution charged that Jirias has been charged with conspiring to pass on information to the enemy and having contact with a foreign agent.
Also, the prosecution office claimed that Jirias had been in contact on a number of occasions with Hani Abdullah Mitwally, an Iranian intelligence agent known for his efforts to recruit Israeli and Palestinian agents on behalf of Tehran, according to Haaretz report.
According to the report, Mitwally is believed to have put Jirias in touch with Iranian intelligence officials, who instructed the Jeries to get involved in politics in order to gather information on Israeli society and government.
