Shin Bet nabs alleged Hezbollah spy living in North
State indicts Majd el-Kurum resident for collecting information on army bases, President Peres's security details.
By YONAH JEREMY BOBpolice arrest handcuffs suspect cops criminal 311 (R)(photo credit: Benoit Tessier / Reuters)
The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) announced on Thursday that it had arrested alleged Hezbollah spy, Milad Hatib, and the state filed an indictment against him in Haifa District Court for various espionage offenses.Hatib, a 26-year-old resident of Majd el-Kurum, was captured in early September.Since late 2009 or early 2010, he had collected information for Hezbollah regarding the location and security details of army bases, places where weapons were kept, weapons manufacturing areas and other strategic information, the indictment said.Hatib was about to provide information about President Shimon Peres’s security detail, vehicle and other security information based on observing a visit from Peres to Hatib’s village in August, according to the indictment, but he was caught before he could hand over the information.His next meeting with his Hezbollah handler was set for May 2013.Hatib was “activated” by a Lebanese Hezbollah agent who has been living in Denmark for years named Burhan Hatib, 47, the indictment stated.The indictment alleged that Milad Hatib started visiting Burhan in Denmark, other European states and Turkey between 2007 and 2009.During this period, Burhan questioned Milad about his views on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, said the indictment, eventually moving on to asking him about where Hezbollah missiles hit in northern Israel during the 2006 Second Lebanon War and how Israel’s home front reacted to the missile attacks.Burhan also asked Milad about Israeli Arabs involved in Zionist political parties, the indictment said.The indictment said that throughout his meetings with Burhan, Milad always traveled with Amar Ja’aleeya of Sakhnin.
Each time Milad traveled abroad to meet with Burhan, Burhan covered the costs of his travel and lodging, the indictment alleged.When Milad eventually agreed to work for Burhan in late 2009 or early 2010, the indictment alleged that Burhan paid Milad $500 for agreeing to join Hezbollah’s spying operations in Israel.The indictment said that Burhan told Milad that his reconnaissance activities were the beginning of establishing a full terrorist cell in Israel to aid Hezbollah in operations against Israel.All of the information that Milad gathered for Burhan was provided during the various in-person visits to avoid leaving a trail, according to the indictment.Although Milad and Burhan spoke by telephone to coordinate visits and other issues, they had no electronic communications and left no electronic record, the indictment said.According to the indictment, among information that Milad revealed to Burhan in a Turkey visit in July was information relating to weapons-maker Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and MK Ahmed Dabah (Kadima).Burhan also told Milad code words by which he could recognize and make contact with a replacement for Burhan, should Burhan die or be killed, said the indictment.In its entirety, the indictment included charges for contacts with a foreign spy, conspiracy to aid the enemy during war, aiding an enemy during war, spying and working for an illegal terrorist organization.According to a press release by the Shin Bet, Milad had admitted to most of the details in the indictment during questioning.The Shin Bet release also noted successfully busting a Hezbollah affiliated drug-dealing cell in July that had also acquired C4 explosive material.
