The Israeli Security Agency, Shin Bet [1], warns that Arab terrorists are trying to recruit Israeli citizens as spies using social networking Web sites such as Facebook, reports Haaretz [2].

In a recent incident, a man who called himself "a Lebanese agent" offered an Israeli Facebook user money in exchange for classified information. The Israeli notified the Shin Bet of the incident and immediately cut off contact with the man.

According to a statement released by the security agency, "The Shin Bet fears classified information may have been leaked, endangering the lives of Israeli who could be enticed to meet abroad with Internet contacts who have offered them deals."

Haaretz also reports that a primary target for such offers are former soldiers who served in covert Israeli Defense Forces units.

This isn't a new phenomenon, the paper notes. Apparently, the Shin Bet has interrogated and sent to trial a number of Israelis that allegedly committed treason after being recruited to aid terrorist groups online.

These incidents raise another question: If recruiting spies online works in traditional espionage, why wouldn't it work for industrial espionage as well?