Anti-Zionist Neturei Karta members protest in Washington D.C. Photo: Ruvi Leider.

JNS.org – A man affiliated with the Orthodox anti-Zionist sect Neturei Karta has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison for charges that he was attempting to spy for Iran.

Itzhak Bergel, 47, was convicted Tuesday in a Jerusalem District Court. According to the indictment, Bergel traveled to Germany from Israel in January 2011 and reportedly visited the Iranian Embassy there to offer his services as a spy, Ynet reported.

At the meeting, Bergel reportedly said he was in favor of overthrowing the Israeli government and willing to murder Israelis. He was then given a note to contact an Iranian email address.