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Muath Hamed said he was targeted due to an investigation he wrote about alleged efforts to recruit living in Turkey to work as .

Hamed was working in Turkey but decided to seek refuge in Spain in April 2019, eight months before his investigation was published.

Speaking to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, he said that the story had been ready for almost a year before it was released. Concerned with his safety in Turkey, he waited.

"I thought Spain would be the safe place [to publish it]," he said.

"It is a surprise to face investigation because of a journalistic inquiry."

Hamed claims he was called by the Spanish Civil Guard, a military agency, on 9 December and questioned by two Spanish officers, Nicólas and Javier.

On 11 February, he was brought in for another interview, but this time a representative of Mossad was present and began to ask him about his journalism work, he claims.

"If you saw the Israeli ambassador at a journalistic conference, what might you do?" he was quizzed.

Hamed explained that he would "abide by the traditions of his profession".

To his amusement, he was then questioned: "If you saw an Israeli intelligence officer, what might you do physically?"

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When asked by Al-Araby Al-Jadeed’s interviewer if he is scared, Hamed replied: "Honestly, more than ever before."

Hamed is worried about the possibility of revenge and said he is considering leaving Spain if the issue is not resolved by the summer.

He also claimed his phone is being surveilled.

Israel and its intelligence apparatus have been criticised for the scale and scope of their internal and external operations.

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