An Ashkelon couple indicted for allegedly spying for Iran also conducted surveillance on the homes of security personnel, according to The Jerusalem Post. The indictment follows the prior report that the pair photographed sensitive sites including Eilat Port and Mount Herzl.
Thursday's indictment of Tamirlan Ameshukov (26) and Alina Kushnirenko (24) of Ashkelon on charges of espionage for Iran includes new details that the pair allegedly also conducted surveillance on the homes of Israeli security personnel, according to The Jerusalem Post. The charge sheet, filed earlier today, adds this to the previously reported targeting of the Port of Eilat and the Mount Herzl cemetery, as The Zioneer reported in its 14:00 bulletin.
The Zioneer first reported the indictment at 13:31 Jerusalem, identifying the suspects and detailing the alleged photographing of sensitive sites including the Port of Eilat and Mount Herzl. The investigation further revealed that Ameshukov was aware he was acting for an Iranian handler, and that the couple communicated via Telegram with a profile named 'Aslan', receiving payments in exchange for the intelligence. The indictment also noted that the couple documented Mount Herzl hours before a state ceremony.
The couple's targeting of security personnel homes represents an escalation in the sensitivity of the locations. The case is part of a broader pattern of Iranian attempts to recruit Israeli civilians for intelligence gathering, as The Zioneer has reported — including the indictment of a yeshiva student and an ambulance driver in recent weeks.
The full extent of the surveillance on the homes of security personnel has not been disclosed, and the investigation may continue to uncover additional targets.
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