Cleared for publication: Iranian spy arrested in Israel
ISA arrested an Iranian agent with a Belgian citizenship • came to Israel to set up an espionage infrastructure • photographs of the American Embassy found in his possession
- Eli Schlesinger, Behadrey Haredim
- כ"ו תשרי התשע"ד
Spy in Tel Aviv. Photo: ISA
The ISA stopped Ali Mansouri (55), a businessman with a Belgian identity who entered Israel under the name Alex Manes.
The man took photographs of the United States embassy in Tel Aviv and tried to follow the events in it. Mansouri was arrested at the airport and photographs of the embassy were found in his possession.
At his interrogation by the ISA, the detainee described the process of his recruitment and activation by Iranian intelligence officials. He stayed in Israel in July 2012 and January 2013, and his third visit began on September 3 and ended with his arrest on September 11.
The ISA claim that he was drafted by the special operations unit of the Revolutionary Guards, the body responsible for many terrorist attacks around the world, and was sent to Israel to establish business firms which could serve as a basis for secret operations of the Iranian government mechanisms. In exchange for his activity he was promised a million dollars.
The Shin Bet said further that the operation of Mansouri in Israel was carried out by the special operations unit of the "Quds Force," which is headed by Hamid Abdallhi and Majid Alavi. Above them stands Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guards of the Quds Force.
Mansouri was born in Iran and lived there with his family until 1980. He then moved to Turkey, where he lived until 1997 and went into business. On that year Mansouri received a visa that allowed him to live in Belgium for business purposes. In 2006 he received a Belgian citizenship after marrying a citizen of the state, whom he later divorced. That same year he changed his name to Alex Manes in order to obscure his Iranian identity.
He returned to Iran in 2007 and has since worked to expand his business activities, he lived in Iran, Turkey and Brussels and remarried an Iranian citizen.
Early in 2012 he received an offer to spy in Israel, and was instructed to establish a business infrastructure that will provide cover for Iranian intelligence activity in Israel. He visited the country and formed business relationships in the realm of walls and shop windows.
In his attempts to make connections with businesses owners in Tel Aviv he presented himself as a Belgian businessman, and blurred the traces of his visits to Iran.
Photos taken during his stay in Israel and were found in his possession:
Photo of the structure of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv from the balcony of the hotel where he was staying.
Photo of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv in the direction of the promenade
Photograph in Ben Gurion Airport
Self-taken photo at the promenade in Tel Aviv
The man took photographs of the United States embassy in Tel Aviv and tried to follow the events in it. Mansouri was arrested at the airport and photographs of the embassy were found in his possession.
At his interrogation by the ISA, the detainee described the process of his recruitment and activation by Iranian intelligence officials. He stayed in Israel in July 2012 and January 2013, and his third visit began on September 3 and ended with his arrest on September 11.
The ISA claim that he was drafted by the special operations unit of the Revolutionary Guards, the body responsible for many terrorist attacks around the world, and was sent to Israel to establish business firms which could serve as a basis for secret operations of the Iranian government mechanisms. In exchange for his activity he was promised a million dollars.
The Shin Bet said further that the operation of Mansouri in Israel was carried out by the special operations unit of the "Quds Force," which is headed by Hamid Abdallhi and Majid Alavi. Above them stands Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Revolutionary Guards of the Quds Force.
Mansouri was born in Iran and lived there with his family until 1980. He then moved to Turkey, where he lived until 1997 and went into business. On that year Mansouri received a visa that allowed him to live in Belgium for business purposes. In 2006 he received a Belgian citizenship after marrying a citizen of the state, whom he later divorced. That same year he changed his name to Alex Manes in order to obscure his Iranian identity.
He returned to Iran in 2007 and has since worked to expand his business activities, he lived in Iran, Turkey and Brussels and remarried an Iranian citizen.
Early in 2012 he received an offer to spy in Israel, and was instructed to establish a business infrastructure that will provide cover for Iranian intelligence activity in Israel. He visited the country and formed business relationships in the realm of walls and shop windows.
In his attempts to make connections with businesses owners in Tel Aviv he presented himself as a Belgian businessman, and blurred the traces of his visits to Iran.
Photos taken during his stay in Israel and were found in his possession:
Photo of the structure of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv from the balcony of the hotel where he was staying.
Photo of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv in the direction of the promenade
Photograph in Ben Gurion Airport
Self-taken photo at the promenade in Tel Aviv
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