Ashdod man indicted for surveilling Bennett for Iran

Moshe Atias, 18, from Ashdod, was indicted on Thursday for committing severe security crimes on behalf of the Iranian regime during the Israel-Hamas War. 

Atias contacted the Iranian intelligence spies through the Telegram app, under the username “Yosi Atias.” From them, he received various instructions, including gathering sensitive information and surveiling public sites. The three agents he was in contact with identified as “Sagi,” “Sam,” and “Sol Allison.”

Atias received two separate messages from a Bot on Telegram offering him to work for Iran for “a better financial future,” one on February 6 and one on February 22. At some point between receiving these messages and April, Atias made contact with the agents. 

On Wednesday, April 23, Atias arrived at the Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba, where former prime minister Naftali Bennett was hospitalized. He was admitted three days earlier, after feeling unwell after a workout. 

He didn't stay in the hospital for long, and said he was feeling well soon after. Atias documented the floor Bennett was staying on, along with the surrounding security systems, and he also tried to locate Bennett's room number. 

How did Atias carry this out?

Atias even tried to get closer to the former prime minister by pretending to be a distant family member, so that he could locate the room number. A security guard eventually held him back. 

He was instructed to take videos of the different entry points to the hospital and provide detailed sketches of the security arrangements. Atias sent a partial sketch of the floor, noting the location of the elevator, the entry point to the ward, and the specific locations of the security guards. He also noted that the guards were wearing grey clothes and were armed. 

Separately, following Iranian instructions, Atias damaged public state symbols, like destroying a money bill and burning an IDF uniform. He filmed all of these acts and sent them to the agents. 

He also photographed shopping centers and malls in Yavne and Tel Aviv, and physically hid a SIM card. 

To do all of this, Atias used two phones to communicate with the Iranian agents and did his best to stay hidden, for example, ordering taxis instead of using a transit app to keep his location less visible. 

Atias was first arrested on Sunday and probed by investigators. His arrest was extended for five days, leading to the Thursday indictment. For all of his acts, he received USD 1,800 to a digital wallet.

Bennett said on Sunday, “I have full faith in the security officials... Iranian attempts on the lives of leaders across the globe have failed and they will fail here too. They certainly won't prevent me from continuing to act in the interest of Israel's safety.”

He added that, in his opinion, “Israel must shift from being passive to being active. Tehran should be on the defensive, not Tel Aviv.”

Bennett announced earlier this month of his intentions to run in the upcoming elections. 

Atias was indicted for contacting a foreign agent and providing information to the enemy with the intent to harm state security. 

The prosecution requested that his arrest be extended until all legal proceedings are terminated, and noted that Atias did what he did with the full knowledge of the complicated war that Israel is facing at the moment, with Iran being one of the seven fronts it is facing off against. 

This is not the first time a person has been apprehended for spying for Iran. Atias' indictment is one in a long list that began with the start of the war.