Iran was not directly involved in the abduction and murder of Chabad shaliach Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, H’yd, Israeli media outlets reported on Monday.

Although initial reports indicated that Iran was behind the heinous abduction and murder, Israeli security sources now estimate that the terror cell was directed by a different terror organization, possibly Hamas or Islamic Jihad.

Israeli intelligence blog Intelli Times reported on Sunday that Tehran directs a terror affiliate [Unit 400] that is linked to its Quds Force that dispatches Uzbek nationals with Shiite-Iranian heritage on terror missions to kill Jews or Israelis. According to the report, Unit 400 was likely involved in Rabbi Kogan’s murder.

The UAE confirmed on Monday that the murder suspects they arrested on Sunday are Uzbek nationals but apparently Iran’s Quds Force is not the only terror organization that recruits Uzbeks.

Emirati Ambassador to the US Yousef Al-Otaiba issued a statement on Sunday condemning the murder and saying that Rabbi Kogan’s death was “a crime against the UAE.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)