Israel nabs suspected Hezbollah spy

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HAIFA, Israel, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- The Israel Security Agency says they've arrested an alleged Hezbollah spy accused of compiling information on bases and the movements of President Shimon Peres.

The Shin Bet said Milad Khatib, 26, of the Galilee town of Majd el-Kurum was arrested in early September. He was charged Thursday in Haifa's District Court on counts of espionage, aiding the enemy, contacting a foreign agent and conspiring with the enemy at a time of war.

According to the Shin Bet, Khatib, a truck driver, was recruited by a Hezbollah agent in Denmark in 2007. During the meeting, the idea was raised to recruit Israeli Arabs and form a terrorist cell to carry out attacks in Israel. In the following years, Khatib was allegedly briefed by Hezbollah agents in meetings in Denmark and Turkey and was instructed to compile information on Israeli army bases, munitions storehouses and their locations, the movements and security detail of President Shimon Peres and the movements of Arab Knesset members. He allegedly received the sum of $500 from his handlers, the agency said.

A month before his arrest he allegedly documented the number of security agents who accompanied Peres during a visit to Majd el-Kurum, and wrote down the license plates of the vehicles in Peres' entourage. He was arrested before he transferred the information to Hezbollah, Israeli security officials said.