The Ashkelon Magistrate’s Court on Monday morning cleared for publication additional details from a new security affair uncovered last week.
According to the information released, the National Unit for International Crime Investigations is conducting a wide-ranging probe into several suspects accused of direct and dangerous cooperation with Iranian intelligence and terror elements.
The central suspicion emerging from the investigation points to a troubling picture of a local “terror industry" operating on behalf of the enemy: The suspects allegedly worked to independently manufacture explosives while receiving guidance and support from handlers in Tehran.
Members of the network are suspected not only of producing the materials but also of conducting tests on the explosives they created in order to assess their effectiveness.
“The suspects in the case acted at the request of Iranian elements to produce explosive material and even carried out experiments with the substances they manufactured," an authorized statement said.
The case is seen as a significant escalation in Iranian efforts to recruit operatives within Israel to carry out complex terror activities involving technical expertise and weapons production.