A severe security breach has been uncovered following the filing of an indictment against 22-year-old Ami Gaidarov. The Haifa District Prosecutor’s Office revealed today that Gaidarov did not merely collect intelligence for Iran, but actively established a functioning terror infrastructure in the heart of a residential neighborhood.
10kg of Explosives Produced in Residential Apartment
The indictment describes a "terror lab" Gaidarov operated within two separate apartments in a single Haifa building. To evade security forces, he moved his operations from the third floor to the first floor, where he manufactured TATP, a highly volatile and lethal explosive, on a daily basis.
By the time of his arrest, Gaidarov reportedly possessed approximately 10 kilograms of ready-to-use explosives. The investigation, supported by reports from i24NEWS, indicates the defendant was fully aware these materials were intended for mass-casualty attacks.
The planned targets included:
- Public Bus Stations: Designed to maximize civilian casualties.
- Crowded Public Spaces: Locations with high foot traffic.
- A High-Ranking Public Official: Earlier reports this week identified former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as a specific target for assassination.
The "Test Run" and Iranian Directives
The severity of the plot was highlighted by footage of Gaidarov and an associate conducting an explosive test in an underground parking lot near his home. The pair placed a device in a plastic cup, ignited it, and fled as the blast produced a massive shockwave.
The operational link between Gaidarov and his Iranian handler began in August 2025. Over several months, he completed numerous security-related tasks in exchange for over 70,000 NIS, paid via untraceable digital wallets.
Espionage and Wartime Sabotage
Beyond bomb-making, Gaidarov was tasked with several high-stakes intelligence missions:
- Strategic Filming: Recording Haifa Port and the sites of missile strikes in Northern Israel during the war.
- Surveillance Infrastructure: He was instructed to find an apartment overlooking the port to install a permanent, remote-controlled camera.
- Secret Communications: He utilized dedicated "burner" phones to send his handlers video evidence of his explosive production as proof of progress.
A "Extreme Escalation" in Iranian Recruitment
Security officials from the Shin Bet and the Lahav 433 police unit describe this case as a "significant and extreme escalation" in Iran’s efforts to recruit Israeli citizens for domestic terror and espionage.
Other suspects from northern Israel have also been arrested for assisting Gaidarov in purchasing raw materials and concealing the explosive devices. Authorities emphasize that the cell utilized digital platforms and high financial incentives to lure citizens into high-treason activities.
