Iran: Mossad Agent Arrested, Vows Revenge For Killing Of Military Advisor. Israel/Sweden: Iran Using Criminal Networks To Target Locations In Europe
In a rare statement Israel’s national intelligence agency, Mossad said that Iran is using local criminal networks to target Israeli targets, such as embassies located within Europe.
TEHRAN - Iran says it arrested a Mossad agent from southern Iran who traveled to several provinces attempting to hide while collecting information on the country. Iranian state-run media reported the agent was in contact with "high-ranking Mossad officers" via social media and was operating under the guise of carrying out an editorial activity.
State-run media said the agent was wanted by the country's Intelligence Ministry and was arrested by the Prosecutor's Office of Ardabil Province.
"The arrested spy is from southern Iran, whose user accounts and related information were removed by Mossad immediately after the arrest took place," IRNA stated.
Iran: Israel Will Be Punished For Killing Of IRGC Military Advisor On Sunday. Mossad: Iran Using Criminal Networks To Target Israeli Embassies In Europe
The chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Major General Hossein Salami said "Israel will be punished for shedding holy blood" after Iran alleged that Israel "martyred" IRGC military advisor Saeed Abiar during an attack on Aleppo on Sunday.
On May 30th in a rare statement Israel’s national intelligence agency, Mossad said that Iran is using local criminal networks to target Israeli targets, such as embassies located within Europe.
The Mossad statement was later confirmed in a statement by the Swedish Säpo security service which says there is a significant risk that Iran may once again target Sweden according to a statement by Daniel Stenling, head of Säpo counterintelligence.
Two crime rings mentioned are the Foxtrot and Rumba crime rings.
Sweden Raised Terrorist Threat Level To High Last Year, Decided To Keep It High This Year
In 2023, the Swedish Security Service raised its terrorist threat level to High. In January of this year, it announced that the threat level would remain High due to an “increased terrorist threat from violent Islamism”.
Charlotte von Essen, Head of the Swedish Security Service said, “The picture that has been painted of Sweden as an Islamophobic country has strongly contributed to the increased terrorist threat from violent Islamism.
Sweden continues to be considered a prioritized target. The threat is posed by both lone actors and groups that can be directed by actors abroad.”
The Mossad, along with European intelligence agencies opened up an investigation into the activities after an explosive device was found at the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden in January, which Israeli media says was a hand grenade that was then destroyed by the Swedish bomb squad.