Sydney man jailed for spying in Israel

A SYDNEY man has admitted to being a technical spy for militant Palestinian party Hamas and attempting to gather information on missile-guidance systems while on a holiday in Israel earlier this year.

By InvestSMART · 13 Dec 2011

By InvestSMART ·
13 Dec 2011

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Eyad Rashid Abuarga, who has been in an Israeli jail since March, will now serve a further 20 months before he can to return to Australia.

The 46-year-old Sydney IT professional was arrested by the Israel security service in Tel Aviv in March. He was charged with being a member of Hamas and agreeing to help it gather sensitive technical information held by Israeli defence contractors.

At first Mr Abuarga denied the charges. "I am an Australian tourist who came to this country with my wife to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary," he told reporters outside a court appearance in June.

But during a plea-bargain deal struck on Sunday, he admitted to one charge of providing services for an illegal organisation in return for the prosecution withdrawing other charges relating to his alleged training with and membership of Hamas.

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Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

What happened in the Sydney man jailed for spying in Israel case?

A Sydney man, Eyad Rashid Abuarga, admitted to being a technical spy for militant Palestinian party Hamas and attempting to gather information on missile-guidance systems while on holiday in Israel. He was arrested in Tel Aviv in March and has been in Israeli custody since then.

Who is Eyad Rashid Abuarga and what was his background in the case?

Eyad Rashid Abuarga is a 46-year-old Sydney IT professional who was arrested by Israel’s security service in Tel Aviv in March. The article identifies him as the Australian who admitted to providing services for an illegal organisation.

What charges did the Sydney man face and what did he plead guilty to?

He was charged with being a member of Hamas and agreeing to help gather sensitive technical information held by Israeli defence contractors. In a plea-bargain deal he admitted to one charge of providing services for an illegal organisation; other charges relating to training with and membership of Hamas were withdrawn by the prosecution.

How long will the Sydney man remain in Israeli custody and when can he return to Australia?

He has been in an Israeli jail since March and, following the plea bargain, will serve a further 20 months before he can return to Australia.

Did the accused deny the allegations at first?

Yes. At first Mr Abuarga denied the charges and told reporters he was an Australian tourist who came to Israel with his wife to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. He later entered a plea-bargain and admitted to one charge.

What specific type of information was he accused of trying to obtain?

The article says he attempted to gather sensitive technical information, specifically mentioning missile-guidance systems, and targeted information held by Israeli defence contractors.

What do we know about the plea bargain in this case?

The plea bargain was struck on a Sunday: in return for his admission to a single charge of providing services for an illegal organisation, the prosecution withdrew other charges related to alleged training with and membership of Hamas.

Should everyday investors be concerned about market or company impacts from this spying case?

The article does not mention any direct impact on markets, listed companies or investments. It reports facts about the arrest, charges and plea bargain only. Everyday investors looking for market implications would need to consult further reporting or official statements that explicitly link this case to specific companies or defence-sector contracts.