The Jerusalem District Court on Thursday sentenced Elimelech Stern to three years in prison after he was convicted of maintaining contact with a foreign agent and conspiring to carry out threats.
The court's verdict presented evidence that Stern, operating under Iranian guidance, carried out various tasks within Israel, recruiting other citizens for national security missions in exchange for payment in digital currency.
Among the tasks Stern performed were printing security-related flyers, collecting mobile phones, and transferring money in public spaces.
Stern's initial suspicion about the identity of the agent he was working with grew more serious as the missions took on a more prominent security nature. However, he did not cooperate with the authorities and stalled legal proceedings throughout the process.
The Prosecutor's Office emphasized the severity of Stern's crimes, stressing that they posed a tangible threat to national security and disrupted civilian life.
Additionally, the Prosecutor's Office noted the broader phenomenon of foreign agents operating within Israel, under clear Iranian influence, and requested a harsh sentence to deter and prevent similar cases in the future.
The defense argued that Stern was not fully aware of the agent's intentions, but the court determined that a deterrent sentence was necessary to prevent similar actions in the future.
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