Israeli Businessman Moti Maman Arrested for Alleged Iranian-Backed Plot to Kill Netanyahu, Gallant, Bar

Sep 19, 2024, 09:43 AM

Israeli security services have arrested Moti Maman, a 73-year-old Jewish Israeli businessman from Ashkelon, for allegedly being recruited by Iran to assassinate high-ranking officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar. The Shin Bet and Israeli police revealed that Maman, who had been living in Turkey, was smuggled into Iran twice for meetings with Iranian intelligence officers. The plot, which was uncovered in a joint investigation in August, involved Maman receiving payments and demanding $1 million to carry out the assassinations. The Israeli authorities have emphasized that the Iranian threat remains ongoing.