Lahav 433 officer investigated over suspicion of contact with Iranian agents
Israel’s Department of Internal Police Investigations said Wednesday evening it questioned an officer from the elite Lahav 433 unit under caution over serious suspicions of contact with an Iranian foreign agent.
The officer was detained Tuesday for intensive questioning and released after a four-hour session to strict house arrest conditions.
According to the investigation, the case began when the officer received a Telegram message offering what looked like an attractive job. He entered into ongoing communication with the sender, later saying he did not realize it was a recruitment attempt by Iranian intelligence and believed it was a legitimate business opportunity or harmless job offer.
The turning point came when the Telegram contact asked him to go into the field and film locations around the country.
At that stage, the officer said during questioning that he became suspicious he was dealing with a hostile Iranian-linked entity. He then approached his superiors at Lahav 433 to report the contact, and was instructed to stop all communication immediately.
Internal Affairs officials noted that the incident took place about six months ago. Only now was the officer detained for a criminal investigation under caution, to verify his account and examine whether security laws were violated. The investigation is ongoing.
