Prosecutors filed an indictment Thursday against Motti Maman, a 72-year-old Israeli-Jewish citizen arrested in August during a joint counterintelligence operation by the Shin Bet, the Unit for International Crime Investigations, and Major Crimes Unit Lahav 433. The suspect faces charges of security offenses related to alleged connections with Iranian intelligence agents.
Video: 72-year-old Motti Maman, suspect in Iran-backed assassination plot, brought to court Credit: Ilya Egorov
The investigation, newly cleared for publication, revealed that the accused, an Israeli-Jewish businessman, had lived in Turkey for an extended period, cultivating business and social ties with Turkish and Iranian nationals. Today's indictment outlines serious security-related charges against him.
In April, through Turkish intermediaries Andrei Farouk Aslan and Guneid Aslan, the suspect allegedly agreed to meet with a wealthy Iranian businessman named Wadi to discuss potential business opportunities. This led to a meeting in Samandag, Turkey, where the suspect met two of Wadi's representatives and spoke with Wadi by phone, as the latter was unable to leave Iran.
The probe further uncovered that in May, the suspect traveled to Turkey again, meeting Andrei, Guneid, and Wadi's two representatives. When Wadi once more couldn't leave Iran, the Israeli citizen was reportedly smuggled by car across the Turkish border near Van in eastern Turkey into Iran. There, he met Wadi and another individual named Haj, introduced as an operative of Iranian security agencies.
At Wadi's home in Iran, the suspect was presented as an Israeli citizen. During this meeting, Wadi allegedly offered the Israeli citizen various security missions within Israel for the Iranian regime. These included transferring money or a firearm at predetermined locations, photographing crowded areas in Israel and sending the images to Iranian officials, and threatening other Israeli citizens working for Iran who had failed to complete assigned tasks. The Israeli businessman reportedly asked for time to consider the proposal.
The investigation also revealed that in August, the suspect entered Iran a second time, allegedly smuggled across the border hidden in a truck cabin. At Wadi's Iranian residence, he reportedly met additional Iranian intelligence officials who requested he conduct terrorist activities in Israel. These allegedly included plans to assassinate Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, or Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.
Iranian intelligence agents also reportedly explored the possibility of assassinating other prominent figures, such as former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and other public officials. This was allegedly in retaliation for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh on Iranian soil in July, which Iranian authorities attributed to Israel. The suspect purportedly demanded a $1 million advance before agreeing to any action.
The following day, another meeting with Iranian intelligence officials allegedly took place. They reiterated their assassination proposals and discussed the possibility of the suspect planting money across Israel for others, locating Russian and American targets for assassinations of Iranian regime opponents in Europe and the US, and recruiting a Mossad agent to become a double agent.
During this meeting, the Israeli again reportedly demanded a $1 million advance, but the Iranian agents refused, stating they would contact him later. Before leaving Iran, he allegedly received 5,000 euros from Wadi and the Iranian intelligence representative for participating in the meetings.
A senior Shin Bet official stated: "This extremely serious case exemplifies the extensive efforts of Iranian intelligence agencies to recruit Israeli citizens for terrorist activities in Israel. Security agencies assess that Iran will continue attempting to recruit operatives in Israel for intelligence gathering and terrorist missions, including approaching individuals with criminal backgrounds to carry out these tasks."
"While Israel faces conflicts on multiple fronts, an Israeli citizen twice visited an enemy state, met with Iranian intelligence agents, and allegedly expressed willingness to commit serious acts of terrorism on Israeli soil. His actions aided Iran and its intelligence agencies in their campaign against Israel," the official added.
Law enforcement officials emphasize that cooperation between Israelis and Iranian operatives during wartime constitutes a severe security offense, even when the initial contact is motivated by criminal or business interests.
