Israel has arrested a Swedish man of Lebanese origin and charged him with being an agent of Shiite militant group Hezbollah, authorities said today.
Hassan Khalil Hizran, 55, was detained on July 21 but his arrest was kept under wraps until now.
He is accused of being recruited to enlist Israelis with access to soldiers, members of the security services and government officials, the Shin Bet domestic security agency said in a statement.
He is also accused of having been tasked with providing information on troop movements, arms and military bases, and security procedures at Ben Gurion international airport in Tel Aviv, it said.
Hizran was said to have been recruited by Hezbollah during a trip to Lebanon to visit family in 2009.
He is accused of receiving USD 2,300 in 2009 and USD 800 in 2011 from the powerful Lebanese Shiite movement.
Hezbollah fought a deadly month-long war with Israel in the summer of 2006 which killed more than 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and some 160 Israelis, most of them soldiers.
Israel argues that the lifting of sanctions on Iran linked to its nuclear deal with world powers will allow it to increase its support to militant groups such as Hezbollah.
