Iron Dome battery in northern Israel
Iron Dome battery in northern IsraelBasel Awiad, Flash 90

It was cleared for publication that the Central District Attorney's Office filed charges Monday morning against an Israeli accused of spying for the Hezbollah terror group.

The Central District Attorney's Office filed the charges with the Central District Court in Lod, against a female civilian and 25-year-old resident of Israel for contact with a foreign agent, handing information to an enemy with intent to harm the State of Israel's security, and providing a service to a terrorist organization.

According to the indictment, the young woman lived in Be'er Sheva during the years 2018-2019, and during that period she met Ali, a resident of southern Lebanon, through Facebook.

After the two had been in contact for a short time, Ali began requesting that she perform various espionage tasks for Hezbollah, including various photography tasks.

In this context, the defendant took approximately 12 photographs of military vehicles traveling on Route 6; photographs of the perimeter fence in the area of ​​Rosh Hanikra, the Bahai Gardens in Haifa, the lookout point at Stella Maris, the port of Haifa, and military vehicles in the Hebron area; as well as photographs of the Hatzerim Air Force Base and the Air Force Museum in Hatzerim.

All of the photos were sent to Ali via Facebook.

Later, Ali sent her a map of Be'er Sheva, and two weeks later requested that she photograph the view from her room in her apartment. He told her he had noticed that one of the photos showed a pole that reminded him of the Iron Dome system, and requested that she visit the area and check if he was right.

The young woman acquiesced, bringing a camera and binoculars with her, and photographed the Iron Dome system which had been set up at the location, as well as another military base in southern Israel. She then returned home and reported to Ali, sending him the photos.

During the course of 2019, Ali added her to a WhatsApp group called "Know Your Enemy." As part of her activities in the group, the defendant kept in contact with one of the group managers, who requested that she translate an article for him, from Hebrew to Arabic.

As part of her assignments, she traveled during 2019 to the Erez crossing, photographing a military pillbox and a number of military vehicles. However, a soldier stationed at the base told her that the area is a closed military zone. She sent the photos to Ali via Facebook.

On September 2, 2019, following a military incident on Israel's northern border which involved Hezbollah, Ali asked the defendant to photograph Haifa's Rambam Medical Center, including the emergency room entrance and the operating rooms. The young woman, who was in Be'er Sheva at the time, requested her friend take the photographs for her. When she received them, she passed them to Ali.

In December 2019, the defendant contacted Ali and gave him the details of a seminar by a journalist, on the issue of Hezbollah and Israel. Ali requested that she participate in the seminar, and ask the speaker a question which he dictated to her: "Is there a chance of war between Hezbollah and Israel?" The defendant acted in accordance with Ali's request, and recorded both the question and the answer given by the speaker, sending the recording to Ali.

Later, during the same period, Ali requested that the defendant photograph a military base which he said is located near Tel Aviv University. However, in this case the defendant did not act according to request.

In the arrest warrant, the attorney wrote: "Reasons to arrest the defendant have become clear....since she is charged with many, and varied, serious security crimes, it can be assumed that there is a reasonable basis to worry that she will endanger the public security...since according to the severity, nature, and character of her actions, which are based in identifying with a terror organization known for its unusual violence and cruelty, there is a reasonable basis for concern that she will endanger the security of the public and the security of the State."

"The great danger the defendant presents is even greater when you note that she acted in the way she did despite the fact that she knew that Ali belonged to the Hezbollah organization....there is therefore a reason to arrest the defendant...since there is a concern that the defendant will interfere in the legal proceedings...as can be seen from [the fact] that she erased all her conversations with Ali, or that she will harm the proofs in another fashion. It is obvious that we cannot rely on the defendant at all, and there is a considerable basis for concern that her release or that the failure to arrest her will lead to interference in the legal proceedings."