Court orders Iranian spy Mansouri remanded to custody

JPost

The Lod District Court ordered the alleged Iranian spy who was arrested last month to be remanded to police custody until the end of his case.

The suspected agent, Ali Mansouri was arrested while trying to leave Israel on September 11.

Mansouri made no attempt to oppose the prosecution's request to keep him detained.

Also, Mansouri was formally arraigned and the court ordered him to make a formal plea and respond to the charges against him on December 1.

The Central District Attorney’s Office filed its indictment against Mansouri on October 6 for spying and assisting an enemy in time of war.

Mansouri had been sent to Israel to set up a base for Iranian intelligence and terrorism networks, security sources said when he was arrested.

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said the 55-year-old suspect had been recruited by Iran’s Quds Force, the extraterritorial unit responsible for special operations, terrorism and subversion run by the Revolutionary Guards Corps.

The suspect was found with photographs of the US Embassy and Ben-Gurion Airport.

According to the Shin Bet, during questioning, Mansouri divulged information about his handlers, including details about Haji Mustafa, a senior Quds Force headquarters operative, who met with Mansouri and received updates about his missions in Israel; Hajai Hamid Na’amti, a Quds Force liaison; and Mahdi Hanababai, Mansouri’s guide during his time in Israel.

Following his arrest, an Iranian newspaper said the timing of Israel's arrest of Mansouri was a "cheap shot" at delegitimizing the Islamic Republic's diplomatic efforts or "charm offensive" at the UN General Assembly.

The Tehran Times claimed the arrest announcement stood as sign that Israel had entered "damage control mode" over Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's efforts in New York to display a moderate face to the West.