Manbar: I've paid my debt
Photo: Yaron Brener
Israeli spy Manbar seeks early parole to raise family
62-year old man convicted of collaborating with Iran asks court to release him from prison 5 years early
Nahum Manbar,
who was convicted of collaboration with the enemy in 1998 after conducting arms deals with Iran,
asked the court Monday to release him so that he could be free to start a family.
"I paid my debt to society, I'm 62, and I would like to raise a family in Israel," he told judges during a two-hour hearing. "I have expressed deep regret. I don't doubt the judge's ruling and I take responsibility for everything I've done."
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Manbar added, "I'm the only prisoner in the Prison Service that has been allowed unlimited, unconditional vacations for seven years. If anyone had thought I was so manipulative and so dangerous they wouldn't have let me out for vacations."
The judges are scheduled to rule on Manbar's case by Wednesday morning.
In 2007 the court denied Manbar's appeal for parole after he had served two-thirds of his sentence, ruling that he was still a danger to the State.
In 1998 Manbar was convicted of aiding Iran in its war against Israel and providing the enemy country with information, after it was established that he held commercial ties with Iran and provided it with know-how and equipment.
He was sentenced to 16 years in prison during closed-door proceedings. His appeal to the Supreme Court was denied.
