Israeli authorities have announced the filing of a prosecutor’s declaration against a 20-year-old American Chareidi man accused of maintaining contact with Iranian intelligence operatives and carrying out intelligence-gathering missions on their behalf.

The investigation, conducted jointly by the Jerusalem District Police’s Major Crimes Unit and the Shin Bet, had been under a sweeping gag order until Tuesday.

According to investigators, the suspect, an American citizen, was arrested on June 9 following intelligence received from international security agencies indicating that he had been in contact with Iranian intelligence handlers.

Police allege that over the past several months, the suspect carried out a series of assignments for his Iranian handlers, including photographing and documenting sensitive locations throughout Israel.

In exchange for the missions, investigators say he received payments ranging from tens to hundreds of dollars for each assignment.

“The past several months have seen a number of defendants exposed for spying on behalf of the enemy,” said Chief Inspector Amichai Panta of the Jerusalem District Major Crimes Unit. “Some carried out these acts during wartime, thereby assisting the enemy in carrying out its plans within the State of Israel. Together with the Shin Bet, we will continue to locate and expose offenses of this kind and bring to justice anyone who endangers the security of the state and its citizens.”

The suspect’s detention was repeatedly extended by the court throughout the investigation.

With the investigation now complete and what authorities describe as a sufficient evidentiary foundation established, prosecutors on Tuesday filed a prosecutor’s declaration notifying the court of their intention to file a formal indictment in the coming days. They have also requested that the suspect remain in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings.

The case marks the latest in a series of alleged Iranian espionage operations uncovered in Israel in recent months.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)