[Ynet] Ali Mansouri, tossed in the slammerKeep yer hands where we can see 'em, if yez please!
at airport on suspicion of espionage, attempted to obscure any sign of Iranian roots, visits to Islamic Theocratic
Republic. Was supposed to build economic infrastructure in Israel
Development of future economic activities and the establishment of "an Iranian intelligence unit" in Israel. These were, the Shin Bet estimates, the goals of Ali Mansouri, an Iranian-born Belgian citizen who was arrested at Ben Gurion Airport. An investigation will be completed in the coming days and an indictment on espionage charges may be served this week.
According to details gleaned during the investigation, Mansouri worked in Israel under the name Alex Manes and based himself at a hotel opposite the US Embassy in Tel Aviv. He made sure to stay in a room with a balcony facing the sea, from which he could observe events at the embassy compound and monitor the security arrangements in place.
The Shin Bet is now examining whether he transferred any images to his handlers -- some of which are easily obtainable online. They are also examining whether he was asked to photograph IDF bases and track the movements of soldiers and security procedures.
Mansouri obscured all signs of his Iranian roots and visits there in recent years, and no Iranian stamps appeared on his Belgian passport. His last visit to Israel took place in early September and lasted five days -- at its end, just before he boarded a flight back to Brussels -- Mansouri was arrested.
The fact that he walked freely about Tel Aviv caused, according to the Shin Bet, damage to national security. In addition, whether he succeeded in passing information on to his handlers is also being examined. Either way, it is estimated that the relatively early foiling of his plans prevented the establishment of an active Iranian intelligence infrastructure in Israel.
The same activity -- under the pretext of business -- as part of the sale of glass from a Belgian company which had already signed a contract with one of the businesses int he country's center -- was supposed to bear intelligence fruits for years.
The Shin Bet said that the operations unit of the Revolutionary Guards handled Mansouri, urging him to sign long-term contracts establishing relationships with Israeli companies.
| The Jerusalem Post adds: |
The Shin Bet [Israel Security Agency] said the 55-year-old suspect had been recruited by Iran's Qods Force, the extraterritorial unit responsible for special operations, terrorism, and subversion, and run by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).The suspect was found with photographs of the US embassy in Israel.
Iran offered him a million dollars in exchange for his activities.
Mansouri answered directly to the Qods Force, which is led by Khamed Abdallahi and Majid Alawi, both of whom are subordinate to the unit's notorious commander, Qassem Suleimani, the Shin Bet added.
"This special operations unit is tasked with, among other things, carrying out terror attacks against Israel - both abroad and in Israel - and against other targets that Iran works against in the West and Middle East," it said.
It provided a detailed biography of the suspect's life. Born in Iran in 1958, Mansouri lived in the Islamic Theocratic
Republicuntil 1980, before moving to Turkey, where he stayed until 1997. It was then that he entered the world of business, and received a visa that allowed him to reside in Belgium.
A decade later, in 2006, Mansouri received Belgian citizenship, and changed his name to Alex Mans to cover up his Iranian identity, the investigation revealed.
In 2007, he returned to Iran, from where he tried to broaden his business activities in the three countries he knew best, Iran, Belgium, and Turkey.
He continued to travel between the three states, married an Iranian woman (a second marriage), and allegedly drew the attention of Iranian intelligence recruiters due to his international business background.
Mansouri specialized in selling windows and roofing solutions to stores and restaurants, and attempted to sign supply contracts with potential customers in Tel Aviv. He presented himself as a Belgian businessman, and could refer others to websites and Facebook accounts that documented his business activities.
Security forces found in his possession many photographs of sites in Israel, some of which are of interest to Iranian intelligence agencies, such as the US embassy building in Tel Aviv.
Israel views the Qods Force as being responsible for the terrorist attack on the vehicle of the wife of an Israeli diplomat in Delhi, India, in February 2012, which seriously injured the woman. During the same month, there were additional botched attacks attributed to the Qods Force on Israeli targets in Thailand and Georgia.
The Qods Force is also behind attempted attacks on Israeli targets in Azerbaijan, Kenya, and Nigeria that were foiled in recent years, security forces said.