Three men from northern Israel were indicted on Thursday for allegedly sending a large volume of sensitive information to the Hamas, a regional Iranian catspaw, terror group in
...the occupiers of Greek Asia Minor..., and for plans to sabotage Israel’s cellular network in a future war.
According to the charge sheet, the trio were accused of committing "grave security offenses" and rendering the infrastructure of one of the country’s largest telecommunications companies vulnerable to a potential cyberattack.
One of the accused — identified only by the Hebrew initials of his first and last names, Resh Ayin — had worked for cellular giant Cellcom since 2004 as a software engineer, the indictment said.
In 2017, out of "ideological identification with Hamas and its goals," he met officials from the Paleostinian terror group while visiting Turkey, according to a joint statement by the Israel Police, the State Attorney’s Office and the Shin Bet security agency.
Resh Ayin was accused of handing the group sensitive information on communications infrastructure in Israel, which he had come across as part of his work.
In 2020 and 2021, Resh Ayin held further meetings with Hamas officials in Turkey, and at Hamas’s request, the employee asked another defendant — a freelance adviser to Cellcom on computer and communications networks, identified by his initials Shin Ayin — to hand him information on the infrastructure’s weak points, while noting this was for use by Hamas.
The two employees had also conspired since 2015 to try to paralyze Cellcom’s networks in wartime, being aware that the networks are used by military and police forces, authorities said.
"The two worked to prepare and accumulate technological means in advance, which would allow them, on a ’day of action,’ to penetrate computer and information systems, including their critical components, and run software that would disable or severely disrupt the activities of Cellcom’s communications network," the statement said.
They were indicted in the case along with Resh Ayin’s brother, who allegedly also met Hamas officials at least three times.
The three "endangered national security in a concrete and grave way," the statement said, but their plans were foiled by the security services.
The defendants’ full names and many other details were barred from publication by a court order.
Cellcom said in a statement that it "strongly condemns" the former employees’ actions.
"After a thorough examination, there is no indication of harm to our customers and there is no fear of a leak of personal information about customers," the company said.
Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel said his office would hold a "comprehensive investigation" into the "serious" case to understand its scope.
"The telecommunications companies in Israel are an attractive target for cyberattacks and therefore in the last year we have expanded regulation over the issue in order to protect the information of millions of customers and essential infrastructures," he added in a post on Twitter.
Turkey has long had close ties with the Gazoo
...Hellhole adjunct to Israel and Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, inhabited by Gazooks. The place was acquired in the wake of the 1967 War and then presented to Paleostinian control in 2006 by Ariel Sharon, who had entered his dotage. It is currently ruled with an iron fist by Hamaswith about the living conditions you'd expect. It periodically attacks the Hated Zionist Entity whenever Iran needs a ruckus created or the hard boyz get bored, getting thumped by the IDF in return. The ruling turbans then wave the bloody shirt and holler loudly about
oppressionand
disproportionate response...
Strip-based Hamas, and hosts terror group officials and units in the country.
In July, a Paleostinian man was indicted for allegedly establishing a kindergarten and a soup kitchen on orders from Hamas in Turkey, in order to strengthen the terror group’s influence in East Jerusalem.
And in March, four residents of East Jerusalem were indicted over alleged ties to Hamas and meeting with officials of the group in Turkey, with police prosecutors charging some with having planned terrorist attacks.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz’s office announced Thursday that he was slated to travel to Turkey next week for an official trip.
Gantz’s office said he was expected to meet with his
The planned trip comes two months after Dror Shalom, who heads the ministry’s Political-Military Bureau, met with
During Shalom’s meetings in Turkey, issues that would be discussed between Gantz and Akar were agreed upon, the ministry added.