Israel - IDF Officer Suspected of Spying For Hezbollah

Israel - Another military man suspected of turning his back on the State and aiding the enemy to the north.

An Israel Defense Forces officer ranking master sergeant was arrested on suspicion he had transferred information to Lebanese elements affiliated with Hezbollah, it was cleared for publication on Wednesday.

 

The suspect, a resident of northern Israel, was arrested in a joint police and Investigating Military Police operation, and his remand has been extended several times by the Northern Command's Military Court in Haifa.

The man is suspected of assisting civilians involved in drug smuggling across the Israel-Lebanon border. He was also in contact with Lebanese elements, and gave them information on the alignment of troops on the border, sensitive spots along the border, and areas where they could smuggle drugs without being detected. He also gave the smugglers information on areas where technological equipment was inactive.

According to a high-ranking Investigating Military Police officer, the suspect was well aware of the fact that the information he was transferring was sensitive and classified, and that it was reaching enemy sources.

The officer added that the Military Advocate General plans to charge the non-commissioned officer with serious offenses, including treason and contact with a foreign agent. "He was surprised by the arrest, but during his interrogation he cooperated with the detectives," the official said.

"The nature of the information transferred cannot be detailed at this point in time, but we are familiar with past cases of criminal elements joining forces with military officers and turning their criminal activity into security activity. The information that was transferred via various channels may certainly serve Hezbollah against the IDF."

According to the allegations, the master sergeant received thousands of dollars in exchange for the information he gave. In his interrogation, the suspect admitted that his motives were financial. Five civilians were also arrested in connection with the affair, and police are still searching for two other suspects.

Ynet