A member of the extremist haredi (ultra-orthodox) Neturei Karta sect was indicted in the Jerusalem District Court today of approaching Iranian diplomatic missions in foreign countries to provide them information. He has been charged with contacting a foreign agent and treason.
According to the indictment, in 2011, the man, a resident of Jerusalem, looked for Iranian missions via the Internet in order to provide them information "to help them harm the Zionist regime and establish a goy regime in the Land of Israel." When he discovered that Iran had an embassy in Berlin, he bought a ticket to there.
When he reached the Iranian embassy, he presented himself as an Israeli and asked to speak with representatives. He gave his passport to the receptionist and went inside, where he met three men in an office, one of whom presented himself as "Haji Baba". The Neturei Karta man told them that his faith denied the existence of the State of Israel and that he sought to replace Israel's regime with a "goy" regime. The indictment states that he offered to gather intelligence on Israel for Iran.
Haji Baba told the Neturei Karta man to stay in contact via an email address he provided him. He was told to wait for instructions sent to the email address. The indictment states that, in the following months, the accused continued to try and make contact with Iranian officials from public telephones in Jerusalem and from Internet points away from home in an effort to conceal his tracks.
The Neturei Karta man was able to contact the Iranians several times, but, according to the indictment, never established ties with them beyond the calls, and he never provided any intelligence.
"I met my client for the first time today," said the Neturei Karta man's attorney. Adv. Yair Nehurai. "The indictment refers to an incident two and a half years ago, and the question is what has happened since." He added that his client caused no damage. "It would be wrong for me to relate to specifics, but I understand from his remarks that he went through a difficult interrogation."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on August 1, 2013
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