Lebanon arrests local man spying for Mossad

A Lebanese security officer displays a map used by Israel spies. (file photo)

Lebanese intelligence forces have detained a local man on charges of collaboration with Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency for more than two decades.

The man, identified as Ali Taufiq Yari, was paid some 600,000 US dollars for passing on classified information about the Hezbollah resistance movement and the Lebanese Army to the Tel Aviv regime, Al-Manar television network reported on Monday.

The former city council member in Baalbek passed the most significant information on to the Israeli intelligence officials during the war of aggression Israel launched against Lebanon in 2006.

Yari, who had reportedly joined Mossad in 1990, was described by Lebanese officials as the highest paid spy to be captured so far.

He was said to have travelled to the occupied Palestinian territories on a false Palestinian passport. He had also visited Europe and Asia to meet with Mossad officials.

More than 100 people have been arrested in Lebanon on suspicion of collaborating with Mossad since April 2009, including members of the security forces and telecommunications employees.