Suspect allegedly participated in drug smuggling gang that transferred sensitive military information to Hezbollah-linked figure in Lebanon.
A career Israel Defense Forces soldier is suspected of spying for the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, the authorities revealed on Wednesday. The soldier, a resident of northern Israel, is suspected of having taken part in a gang that smuggled drugs from Lebanon and transferred sensitive military information on Israeli security to a Hezbollah-linked figure.
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IDF career soldier suspected of spying for Hezbollah
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| Photo by: Yaron Kaminsky |
The military police arrested the suspect several weeks ago, following a joint investigation with the Galilee police. He was brought before a judge for another extension of his remand on Wednesday at the military court in Haifa.
Meanwhile, five additional suspects have been arrested in connection with the case. Their remands were extended Wednesday at the Acre Magistrate's Court.
A senior military police official said after the arrests that "[the suspect] was aware of the fact that the information he was passing along would be used by Hezbollah to harm the security of the state."
The attorneys representing the civilians arrested in the case said that their clients vehemently deny the charges against them. They said, furthermore, that the case has been blown out of proportion and that their clients were arrested only based on the testimony of the main suspect.
The identity of the suspect is still under a gag order.
