Teen Indicted for Alleged Collaboration with Iranian Agent
A 16-year-old is facing serious charges after allegedly engaging with an Iranian agent in a series of actions that spanned several months. The indictment, handed down Monday, details a disturbing sequence of events that began shortly after the start of the Israel-Hamas War.
The Telegram Connection
The initial contact between the teen and the alleged Iranian agent was made via the Telegram application. This digital connection quickly evolved into something far more sinister, with the agent allegedly providing instructions to the teen in exchange for digital payments through the TrustWallet application.
Acts of Incitement
The instructions allegedly given to the teen included a range of activities designed to incite unrest and gather facts. These actions included:
- Printing and distributing inciting political flyers.
- taking photos and videos in public spaces, sometimes inciting crowds in real time.
- Revealing the identity of the person charged.
A chilling Note
One particularly disturbing incident occurred in February. The teen allegedly wrote on a piece of paper in Hebrew, Where do you think the next target will be?
and shared the live location of a specific building.
Targeting Government Buildings
The following day, the teen allegedly targeted various governmental and authority buildings in Rehovot, including the Magistrate’s Court, the Tax Authority building, and the police station. He took photos of these sites with a handwritten note, receiving NIS 1,600 for his efforts.
Beyond Instructions: Volunteered Ideas
The indictment paints a picture of the teen as an “active participant” who even volunteered his own ideas. These included:
- Graffitiing public property with inciting political messages.
- Dropping sums of money at different sites in Rehovot and Rishon Lezion.
- Surveillance of shops that sell drones.
- Attempts to involve his friends in the scheme.
Arson Proposal
Perhaps the most alarming detail to emerge is that the teen allegedly offered to ignite a fire near Rehovot during one of the wildfires that took place near Jerusalem in recent weeks. This plan was never executed due to a disagreement over payment.
Remote Surveillance
The indictment further alleges that the teen downloaded an application to his phone that allowed the Iranian agent to conduct remote surveillance. The agent was also added to several WhatsApp groups.
FAQ
- what is the teen accused of?
- The teen is accused of collaborating with an Iranian agent in acts of incitement and information gathering.
- How did the contact begin?
- The contact began via the Telegram application shortly after the start of the Israel-Hamas War.
- What kind of acts was the teen allegedly asked to perform?
- the teen was allegedly asked to print inciting flyers, take photos and videos in public spaces, and gather information on specific locations.
- Was the teen paid for his actions?
- Yes, the teen allegedly received digital payments through the TrustWallet application.
- Did the teen act alone?
- The indictment suggests the teen was an “active participant” and even volunteered his own ideas.
