Four Israelis arrested in Nicosia, Cyprus, in what the foreign news media have called a bungled operation by Mossad, the Israeli intelligence agency, were released Thursday on $6,500 bail each, pending trial, which was set for May 6.
The two men and two women were caught on April 23 in the basement of the Iranian Embassy while allegedly trying to tap its telephone lines.
They pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy, illegal entry, loitering under suspicious circumstances and attempting to damage telephone lines. There was no wiretap charge because wiretapping is not illegal in Cyprus.
Judge George Arestis, who set bail, ordered the four to remain within a one-mile radius of the hotels at which they are staying.
Israel Radio said they would probably stay at the Israeli Embassy, which has retained Andis Trinatafyllides, one of Cyprus’ foremost attorneys, to defend them.
The four, who were brought to court hand-cuffed and under heavy police guard, claimed to be tourists.
They said they had been “out on the town” and entered the basement to find a toilet where one of the women could vomit.
But police said they were found in possession of burglars tools, wiretapping equipment and an unauthorized transistor radio.
They were identified by their seized passports as David Dabi, 40; Ran Souf, 33; and Anna Dolgin and Amit Litvin, both 28.
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