A Jerusalem court began closed-door hearings this week for an Israeli suspected of spying for Iran.
In an opening statement, the lawyer for Herzl Rad, 31, said his client admitted that he was in Iran, but said he was innocent of any accusations related to spying.
Rad, a clothing merchant in Jerusalem, has been in detention since his arrest this summer. He has been charged with spying for an enemy country, endangering national security and having contact with foreign agents.
According to the charge sheer: Rad went to Turkey earlier this year, where he initiated contact with an Iranian intelligence officer. A month later, he was flown to Iran under an assumed name and was interviewed. After accepting him, the Iranians instructed Rad to gather information in the United States and Israel. In exchange for his services, he would be paid $10,000.
The charge sheet also said Rad promised to enter Israeli army bases and collect information.
Rad’s lawyer, Amir Zion, his client’s version of the story, saying that he was kidnapped from Turkey and tortured by the Iranians.
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