JERUSALEM – Former Israeli government minister Gonen Segev, 62, has beencharged with spying for Iran following last month’s arrest on his return toIsrael after being refused entry to the West African state of EquatorialGuinea, Israeli security officials said on Monday.

The Shin Bet domestic security agency said in a statement that Segev wascharged on Friday with “offences of passing information to the enemy intime of war and espionage against the state of Israel” after aninvestigation showed that spied on behalf of Iranian intelligence.

The agency also said that Segev had been in contact with Iranian embassyofficials in Nigeria, in which he previously lived, and later visited Iranto meet with his intelligence “handlers.”

“Segev gave his handlers information related to the energy market, securitysites in Israel, buildings and officials in political and security bodies,and more,” it said.

A statement from Segev’s lawyers said that most details of the charges wereunder a state-imposed blackout. Little information has been released,giving a misleading impression, they said. The facts which have beencleared for publication “give the appearance of acts of the gravest kind,”they said.

“However from the contents of the charge sheet, whose full details areblocked, a different picture emerges,” they said.