An ultra-orthodox Israeli man was charged with spying for Iran and recruiting two others who unwittingly carried out espionage activities.
At midnight, Shin Bet arrested a 21-year-old man from Bet Shemesh Daled 1 for sharing intelligence with an Iranian agent over Telegram and carrying out activities at her direction.
The suspect, 21-year-old Elimelech Stern, was contacted by Anna Elena with a fake profile showing her living in London. She paid Stern to carry out various tasks.
The two accomplices he recruited were released after questioning.
Stern was asked to hang posters around Tel Aviv, leave money at specific locations, put boxes containing dead animals and dolls with knives and threatening messages at doorsteps, and set fire to a forest.
Stern carried out all of these requests for pay except for setting fire to the forest.
His family and friends claim he was unaware that the person paying him to carry out these tasks was an Iranian agent.
