East Jerusalem man convicted of spying for Hezbollah gets 3.5 years in prison

Court: Assam Mashahra met with Hezbollah agent in Beirut, was presented with aerial photos of sensitive sites in capital.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Hezbollah supporters at funeral of slain member 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Hezbollah supporters at funeral of slain member 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
An east Jerusalem resident was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison on Monday after he was convicted of espionage activities on behalf of Hezbollah, Channel 2 reported.
Assam Mashahra, a Palestinian from the village of Jabel Mukaber, was convicted of espionage-related offenses, including contacting a foreign agent, conspiracy, and handing information to the enemy.
According to the court, Mashahra traveled to Beirut last year via Jordan. While in the Lebanese capital, Mashahra sought to make contact with Hezbollah agents. He visited the southern Beirut neighborhood of Dahiya, which is considered a Hezbollah stronghold.
The court found that Mashahra met with a Hezbollah representative known simply as “the administrator.” In their meeting, Mashahra was presented with aerial photographs of sensitive sites in the capital, including the residences of the prime minister and the defense minister.