Iyad Al-Ashwah, 38, a citizen and 18-year resident of Denmark, arrived in Israel on a Turkish Airways flight in late December. His passport was newly-issued, clean of any indications that he had visited his homeland of Lebanon many times in the past several years. He was there most recently in July 2004, where he met with two Hizbullah agents, including his brother, who hired him for a sensitive mission: to travel to Israel as a tourist, recruit Israeli-Arabs who would be willing to help the terror organization, and gather information on security and military installations.
Al-Ashwah was apparently not used to Hizbullah's tight discipline, and despite orders not to photograph where he might be caught, he did exactly that. Traveling southwards along the Mediterranean coast on Jan. 6 with an Arab friend, he was unable to resist videoing some sites through the window.
A security guard on the train took notice, and detained Al-Ashwah in Tel Aviv. Al-Ashwah's protests that he was merely collecting video clips for his family back in Denmark were not persuasive, and police called to the site placed him under arrest. There, the GSS and police investigated his background and story, and Al-Ashwah ultimately confessed that he was on a mission from Hizbullah. He said he was paid $2,000.
Israel Railways Security Officer Yisrael Marko told Israel Radio today that train guards have standing instructions to note incidents of filming under suspicious circumstances, such as "the filming of certain sensitive areas that I do not want to specify."
Al-Ashwah will be indicted today or tomorrow on charges of espionage, contact with foreign agents, conspiracy to commit a crime, and aiding the enemy during wartime.
Other recent examples of terrorists gaining entry to Israel using their European citizenship include Stefan Smirak of Germany in 1997 and British Hizbullah terrorist Gerhard Shuman in 2001. They were both released in the prisoner exchange with Hizbullah of last January.
In addition, the two terrorists who attacked the Mike’s Place pub in Tel Aviv in April 2003 used their British citizenship to arrive in Israel. They were also aided by Hamas after making contact with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).
Al-Ashwah was apparently not used to Hizbullah's tight discipline, and despite orders not to photograph where he might be caught, he did exactly that. Traveling southwards along the Mediterranean coast on Jan. 6 with an Arab friend, he was unable to resist videoing some sites through the window.
A security guard on the train took notice, and detained Al-Ashwah in Tel Aviv. Al-Ashwah's protests that he was merely collecting video clips for his family back in Denmark were not persuasive, and police called to the site placed him under arrest. There, the GSS and police investigated his background and story, and Al-Ashwah ultimately confessed that he was on a mission from Hizbullah. He said he was paid $2,000.
Israel Railways Security Officer Yisrael Marko told Israel Radio today that train guards have standing instructions to note incidents of filming under suspicious circumstances, such as "the filming of certain sensitive areas that I do not want to specify."
Al-Ashwah will be indicted today or tomorrow on charges of espionage, contact with foreign agents, conspiracy to commit a crime, and aiding the enemy during wartime.
Other recent examples of terrorists gaining entry to Israel using their European citizenship include Stefan Smirak of Germany in 1997 and British Hizbullah terrorist Gerhard Shuman in 2001. They were both released in the prisoner exchange with Hizbullah of last January.
In addition, the two terrorists who attacked the Mike’s Place pub in Tel Aviv in April 2003 used their British citizenship to arrive in Israel. They were also aided by Hamas after making contact with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).