The Mossad this evening (Thursday) revealed additional details about the planned Iranian terrorist attack against Jewish and Israeli targets in Cyprus which was thwarted recently, including the fact that the leader of the terrorist squad was abducted from Iran itself, as well as a video in which the assassin gives a detailed confession and account of the planned attacks.
The terrorist cell leader, Yousef Shahbazi Abbasalilo, described how his Iranian handler instructed him to enter Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus and how a group of Pakistani men was to bring him from there to southern Cyprus.
The handler, Shoustari Zadeh, told Abbasalilo that the Pakistani men were trustworthy because they had successfully carried out an assassination previously.
Abbasalilo was seized by Mossad agents while still in Iran, leading to the attack being thwarted.
The Mossad stated: "In a counter-terrorist operation on Iranian soil, the Mossad apprehended the head of the cell, who gave his investigators a detailed confession bringing about the dismantling of the attack cell in Cyprus."
"Yusef Shahabazi Abbasalilu received detailed instructions and weapons from senior Revolutionary Guards personnel in Iran. During questioning, he admitted to his involvement in an attempted attack and described how he tried to carry it out. In the wake of the information that he gave to investigators, the cell was dismantled in an operation by the Cypriot security services."
"The uncovering follows a series of arrests in Cyprus last week in which Iranian activity on Cypriot soil was revealed in a continuing effort to carry out terrorist attacks and harm Israelis and Jews around the world. The Mossad will continue to take determined action to prevent attacks on Jews and Israelis around the world."
The terrorist plot was revealed to the public by Cypriot authorities on Sunday.
The security authorities in Cyprus followed the Iranian Revolutionary Guards suspects for a long time. This is the second such incident connected to the Revolutionary Guards in Cyprus in the last two years. In 2021, an Azeri citizen with a Russian passport was arrested who was also planning terrorist acts against Israeli targets on behalf of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.